20th Century Austrian Polished Brass Reading Floor Lamp by Julius Theodor Kalmar

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20th Century Austrian Polished Brass Reading Floor Lamp by Julius Theodor Kalmar

About the Item

A vintage Mid-Century modern Austrian floor lamp made of hand crafted lacquered metal, designed by Julius Theodor (J.T.) Kalmar and produced by Kalmar in good condition. The large shade is supported by a flexible, adjustable polished brass arm, each of the white conical mount lacquered aluminum shades are featuring a one light socket. The brass stem of the reading floor lamp is standing on a cast iron base, consisting its original foot switch. The wires have been renewed. Wear consistent with age and use. Circa 1940 - 1950, Vienna, Austria. Base: 1" H x 9.5" W x 9.25" D Small shade: 11.5" height x 7.5" diameter Large shade: 12" H x 9.5" W x 9.75" D Kalmar is an Austrian lighting company, manufacturer founded in the 1880's, in Vienna, Austria by Julius August Kalmar. Originally they designed, produced finely hand crafted objects in cast bronze, but later on, in the 1960's, they switched their focus to lighting, collaborating with well-know designers and architects, such as the Austrian designer Josef Frank and Oskar Wlach, etc. By the late 1980's, Kalmar was a well established brand, known worldwide. To this day, the Kalmar brand is still a benchmark in the Austrian lighting history. Julius Theodor (J.T.) Kalmar was an Austrian designer, entrepreneur born in 1884, in Vienna, Austria and passed away in 1968. He was the son of Julius August Kalmar, who founded the company Kalmar. At first he attended the Birmingham School of Art, in England, as well he studied under the well-know Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann at University of Applied Arts Vienna. In 1906, Kalmar joined his father's company and eventually, in 1913 he took over the company. During his career, he worked together with Josef Frank and Oscar Wlach, Oscar Strnad, etc. Kalmar lighting can be found in famous locales around the world, such in the RMS Queen Mary 2, the Kremlin's Presidential Palace in Moscow and the Burj Tower in Dubai.

Creator:
J.T. Kalmar (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 72 in (182.88 cm)Diameter: 9.75 in (24.77 cm)
Power Source:
Plug-in
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Aluminum,Brass,Iron,Metal,Cast,Hand-Crafted,Lacquered,Polished
Place of Origin:
Austria
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1940 - 1950
Condition:
Rewired. Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
West Palm Beach, FL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1622232969282

Shop All J.T. Kalmar

J.T. Kalmar

In 1881, Julius August Kalmar founded Kalmar, a Viennese company that produced handcrafted objects of cast bronze. Kalmar developed a fine reputation and exhibited internationally often, but it was Kalmar’s son, Julius Theodor (J.T.) Kalmar, who took over in 1913 and made the company shine with its modernist lighting.

Having studied at the Birmingham School of Art and Design and under the Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann at the Vienna School of Applied Arts, J.T. was deeply inspired by the shift to modernity taking place in Europe and sought to work with the leading architects and designers of his time, including Austrian Werkbund architects Josef Frank and Oskar Wlach as well as Ernst Plischke, Clemens Holzmeister and Oswald Haerdtl. Similar to the Wiener Werkstätte cooperative cofounded by Hoffmann that prized materials, form and function, Kalmar viewed his company’s lighting fixtures as “quite humble things” meant to “fit in and serve their purpose of functionally illuminating spaces without glare.”

In 1925, Kalmar began selling in Haus und Garten, the forward-looking decor shop founded by Frank and Wlach. By 1931, a close partnership with the Austrian Werkbund association of architects, artists and craftsmen allowed the company to realize its vision of early 20th-century modernity — a distinctly Viennese pairing of traditional workmanship with contemporary technology. These collaborations included chandeliers and other fixtures using traditional materials such as glass, bronze and brass while focusing on function over ornamentation. As the company grew, so too did the scope of its projects, and soon Kalmar was installing extravagant chandeliers for the Vienna State Opera, the Burgtheater, Vienna stock exchange and other sites.

Under the guidance of Rudolf Calice, J.T. Kalmar’s son-in-law, the 1960s saw Kalmar’s popularity grow, thanks in part to the success of more decorative pieces like the ice-glass fixtures created with Austrian sculptor Karl Gruber. Thomas Calice, the great-grandson of Kalmar’s founder, led the company in the 1990s and its expansion to international lighting projects while shifting away from serial production. In 2009, Thomas’s son August Chalice established Kalmar Werkstätten to produce fixtures that reference the Kalmar archives but also feature updates on the iconic designs. Kalmar continues to produce bespoke fixtures while also working on custom lighting projects around the world, from cruise ships to the Burj Khalifa.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage J.T. Kalmar lighting that includes chandeliers, wall lights, floor lamps and other fixtures.