Black Tapio Wirkkala Adjustable Floor Lamp Model K10-11, Idman 1950s

One of the iconic adjustable lamp series by Tapio Wirkkala for Idman. The lamp features a brass body fitted on black painted metal parts and joints and topped with a teak handle. The...

This example of the iconic Tapio Wirkkala floor lamp manufactured and stamped by Idman, retains all original parts and is in beautiful condition. The lamp has only been rewired. Othe...

An iconic floor lamp model 9269 designed by Paavo Tynell for Taito in the 1950s. The lamp is in good condition and retains all original parts and original rattan. It has been repaint...

Floor lamp model H801, designed by Viljo Hirvonen and manufactured by Valaistustyö in Finland during the 1950s. The combination of leather, painted metal, and brass complements this ...

The “Crane” is evidence why Tapio Wirkkala can be described as one of the icons of Finnish design and a symbol of the international success of post-war Finnish design. He was a versatile designer and artist who could shift fluently between different materials and crossed established professional boundaries. Wirkkala’s far-reaching career spanned multiple fields, from furniture design to sculpture and other art objects, and this can be clearly traced in this floor lamp. It functions as an art object just as much as a utilitarian lamp. With its slender shape and a brass and black lacquered body, this lamp is a great modernist piece that stands out in any space. The ingenious structure allows the height to be adjustable, and the design customizable. The main design elements are placed around the main functional parts, namely the shade, the adjusting rod, and the base. The sculptural brass rods cross each other similarly to a crane, and inspired the nickname of this model. The black lacquered conical shade and base, as well as the spherical counterweight stand out against the bright brass and add a modern edge to the design. The shade is lacquered white inside, creating a pleasant effect when the lamp is lit. Idman’s label engraved on the brass handle. Idman produced the models of some of the most renowned Finnish lighting designers of the time, including Tapio Wirkkala, Mauri Almari and Maria Lindeman. Unlike other aesthetic movements, Mid-Century Modern design was streamlined, while highlighting the materials used. The vibe of this “Crane” floor lamp is fresh, retro-tinged, and completely alluring with its dedication to quality and practicality wrapped up in beautiful design that will never go out of style. Condition: In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The brass has a beautiful patina. Dimensions: 26.37 in W x 7.08 in D x 51.39 in H (height is adjustable) 67 cm W x 18 cm D x 128 cm H (height is adjustable) Literature: Tuula Sakalari, Katri Lehtova, Werner Söderström, “Suomalaisia Tuolej”, Osakeyhtio, Helsinki, 2012, pp. 96 & 97 About the designer: Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) can be described as one of the icons of Finnish design and a symbol of the international success of post-war Finnish design. He was a versatile designer and artist who could shift fluently between different materials and crossed established professional boundaries: he worked on everything from refrigerators to banknotes and from furniture to striking jewels. The most important materials for Wirkkala were wood and glass – he never ceased to explore the possibilities they offer. Tapio Wirkkala studied sculpture at the Helsinki Central School of Industrial Design from 1933 until 1936, but he was also a self-studied artist in many areas, including glass design. His success as a glass artist began in 1946 when he designed one of his most famous works, the Kantarelli vase, for Iittala. Wirkkala gained worldwide success in 1951 at the Milan Triennial, where he received three Grand Prix awards: for the exhibition architecture, glass design and wooden sculptures. Many of his glass works for Iittala were also awarded later in the 1950s at the Milan Triennial. In the years 1951-1954, Wirkkala worked as the artistic director of Helsinki Central School of Industrial Design. In 1955, he received a Pro Finlandia medal and in 1972 the Academy of Finland's honorary title of academician. The first mass-production glassware range designed by Wirkkala was the Tapio series launched in 1954. The popular Ultima Thule glassware range, created in 1968, was based on the so-called ice glass technique, and the designer himself was involved in developing it at the Iittala glass factory. Wirkkala also received important commissions from abroad: in the mid-1960s he started to design glass objects for Venini Glassworks in Italy, where he created the Bolle bottles for the Venice Biennale collection in 1966. One of Wirkkala’s most significant commissions abroad was the work at the Rosenthal porcelain factory in Germany: he worked as a freelance designer for Rosenthal for almost 30 years, and the most influential result was the Paper Bag vase (1977), still today one of Rosenthal’s best-selling products. Tapio Wirkkala was also a furniture designer and a sculptor. He started his career as a sculptor in the 1930s, but abandoned the traditional sculpture in the post-war years. The result was a series of unique plywood sculptures which combined form and movement in the vibrant, densely lineated surface of plywood. Wirkkala’s sculptures represented exceptional abstractionism and gave Finnish sculpture...

Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) was a multitalented design genius, widely considered a leading figure of modern Finnish industrial art. This lamp model is one of the cornerstones of Tapio Wirkkala´s repertoire; this groundbreaking piece is one of the original adjustable lamps with angular opal light...

Floorlamp, model G123 by Knud Joos for LYFA Denmark, 1950s. Brass and black lacquered metal.

Scandinavian Modern floor lamp by Valinte Oy, 1950s. Painted metal with plastic wrapping and brass details. Good vintage condition, heavy patina consistent with age and use.