Rare Einar Bäckström “EB 5336” Floor Lamp, Sweden, 1950s

This stylish table lamp is a delightfully distinctive model, with immediately recognizable details. According to the Museum of Malmö, Einar Bäckström founded his workshop in 1918 for...

This one-of-a-kind floor lamp is a delightfully distinctive model, with immediately recognizable details. Design in the mid-century years was fuelled by the development of materials and technology with stunning results as seen in this floor lamp design. Scandinavian furniture was made with mostly light-coloured materials and some furniture shapes included elements of asymmetry, or having two sides that were not completely even and balanced. This can be seen here as well, as the lamp’s black lacquered metal structure isn’t perfectly symmetrical, instead, the “cage” surrounding the lampshade spirals downwards. The fluted lampshade has a cylindrical shape and is made of a light coloured fabric. It is stretched over metal wires that create the lines. Thanks to its large, almost see-through quality, the warm light is diffused evenly when the lamp is switched on. Furthermore, the fabric shade pairs well with the colder metal structure. The tripod legs stem out from a ball-shaped joint, and also end in small, brass sphere feet. While the design dates to the 1950s, it has an interesting, almost futuristic modern...