Brass Triennale Floor Lamp with Marble Base by Robert Sonneman, 1970s
View Similar Items
Brass Triennale Floor Lamp with Marble Base by Robert Sonneman, 1970s
About the Item
- Creator:Robert Sonneman (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 64 in (162.56 cm)Width: 36 in (91.44 cm)Depth: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Buffalo, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1062410168241
Robert Sonneman
Though Robert Sonneman was quite literally born into the lighting business, it took working for another celebrated lighting maker for him to land upon the kind of boundary-pushing modernism for which the New York–based designer is known today.
At the age of 19, fresh off a stint in the U.S. Navy, Sonneman responded to an ad for a position working in the studio of George Kovacs on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where he became the sole employee. “Although my parents were in the lighting business, they came from a traditional perspective, and Kovacs introduced me to modernism,” Sonneman once said. “It was 1961, and I was immediately captured by the movement.”
While working for Kovacs, Sonneman became captivated by the work of the Bauhaus, and he began experimenting with the influential art and design school’s ideas of functional simplicity in lighting. In 1967, he opened his own studio.
Though Sonneman Design Group produced furniture for a brief time, the designer eventually elected to focus on the one category that had always fascinated him; the brand became known for its floor lamps, sconces, pendants and chandeliers that feature unconventional treatments toward shape and balance, often inspired by modern architecture. Sonneman once said of his work: “I saw the lamps that I built as lighting machines that glorified the industrial aesthetic.”
Indeed, in the spirit of Bauhaus functionality — Sonneman has also cited Mies van der Rohe as being an inspiration — the designer’s work takes function-centric forms and motifs and elevates them while prioritizing technology. This spirit of forward thinking continues today, as Sonneman’s brand, renamed SONNEMAN – A Way of Light in 2003, works with LED bulbs to continue to push the boundaries of what functional lighting can achieve aesthetically.
Current-day releases by SONNEMAN – A Way of Light (still overseen by Sonneman himself) feature 95 percent LED lights and include interior and exterior lighting as well as modular suspended lights as an alternative to track lighting. Sonneman’s vintage pieces, however, are still widely collected on the secondary market.
Find vintage Robert Sonneman lighting on 1stDibs.
- Classic 1970s Double Eye-Ball Chrome Floor Lamp by Lite Beams, After SonnemanBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Buffalo, NYClassic 1970s Space Age double eye-ball chrome floor lamp by LITE BEAMS, very reminiscent of the classic lighting designs by Robert Sonneman, Larger chrome sphere up light, smaller s...Category
Vintage 1970s North American Space Age Floor Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Chrome
- Italian, Mid-Century Modern / Spaceage Chrome Floor Lamp by Robert SonnemanBy GuzziniLocated in Buffalo, NYItalian, Mid-Century Modern / Space-age Chrome floor lamp designed by Robert Sonneman,,,Wonderful design. Superior quality and construction. Nice original condition. minor blemishes ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Space Age Floor Lamps
MaterialsChrome
- Triennale Polished Chrom Floor Lamp Arredoluce, Triennale Angelo Lelli, ItalyBy Arredoluce, Angelo LeliiLocated in Buffalo, NYAn iconic floor lamp designed by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce, first exhibited at the Triennale Exposition in Milan in 1951. The Triennale is a sculptural lighting design with tighte...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
- Modernist Triennale Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for LightolierBy Lightolier, Gerald ThurstonLocated in Buffalo, NYBeautiful and extremely well made three shade floor lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier. Made of brass and black painted metal, each shade retains its original metal swir...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Unusual 1970s Bauhaus Inspired Adjustable Floor Lamp, Spun Aluminum ShadeLocated in Buffalo, NYUnusual industrial Bauhaus inspired adjustable floor lamp.. German or Italian ? c.197o's..Beautiful spun aluminum dome shade, height adjustable,,Classic 1970s ..space age styling,,Fi...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Industrial Floor Lamps
MaterialsAluminum, Chrome
- Modernist Three Shade Brass and Metal Floor Lamp with PlanterBy Mathieu Matégot, StiffelLocated in Buffalo, NYModernist three shade brass and metal floor lamp with planter, classic Mid-Century Modern design, three perforated metal cylindrical shades, brass frame and pottery planter inset to ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
- Triennale Chrome Floor Lamp by Robert SonnemanBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Philadelphia, PAThree arm "Triennale" chrome floor lamp by Robert Sonneman. The three way switch works great. Each arm is adjustable with a tightening knob. This not often seen light shape is a clas...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsChrome
- Robert Sonneman Chrome Triennale Floor LampBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Winnipeg, MBBeautiful adjustable chrome floor lamp designed by Robert Sonneman. This piece features three counterbalance arms with pivoting cylindrical shades that allow for a range of configura...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Chrome
- Triennale Three-Arm Floor Lamp by Robert SonnemanBy Robert SonnemanLocated in New York, NYClassic black and chrome Triennale model floor lamp by Robert Sonneman, circa 1970s. This example is in very fine, original and working condition, having three chrome arms which adju...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
- VINTAGE Robert Sonneman Triennale Atomic Orbiter Floor LampBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Chicago, ILSpace age Robert Sonneman Triennale Atomic Orbiter floor lamp. A very nice one is great condition. Style of Arredoluce.Category
20th Century American Space Age Floor Lamps
MaterialsChrome
- Robert Sonneman Articulating Chrome Floor Lamp with Black Shade, 1970sBy George Kovacs, Robert SonnemanLocated in Bainbridge, NYModern Robert Sonneman for George Kovacs adjustable reading floor lamp. Featuring a tubular chromed steel stem, arm, knob, and ball socket, adjustable black enameled aluminum with wh...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsAluminum, Steel, Chrome, Iron
- Triennale Mid Century Modern Orbiter Chrome Floor Lamp by Robert SonnemanBy Robert SonnemanLocated in San Jose, CAVintage Triennale floor lamp designed by Robert Sonneman circa 1970's. This versatile piece features three adjustable chrome orb light heads that pivot on balancing lever arms. Globe light bulbs...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Chrome