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Author Topic: Large retro mushroom lamp  (Read 9193 times)

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Offline Anne E.B.

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Large retro mushroom lamp
« on: October 03, 2009, 04:55:35 PM »
Any thoughts about this one please?  Believed to be 1960's or even earlier.  Matt white exterior and polished interior - all one piece.  My immediate thoughts are possibly Scandinavian - followed by Italian... ;D  Great retro piece.
TIA ;)
Anne E.B

Offline glassobsessed

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2009, 10:06:33 PM »
Is it meant to hang from the ceiling, where does the cable enter and is there a switch?  So many questions....

John

Offline Anne E.B.

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2009, 10:24:28 PM »
Its a table lamp.  Its been rewired.  The bolt on the base secures the interior fitting and the flex which can be seen enters through a hole to the interior fitting.
Anne E.B

Offline Pinkspoons

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2009, 12:10:10 AM »
It's a fairly typical Italian shape, with fairly consistant fire-polished rim, and I was going to suggest Empoli - where much of this type of lighting seems to come from - but then I  read the description of the matt surface... so now I'm doubtful.

I know that Kastrup, and later Kastrup-Holmegaard, finished some of their white-opal lighting in this matt fashion, but I would probably expect to see a ground or ground/polished rim.

I believe that matt white-opal lighting was also popular amongst a few German firms during the 1950s-70s... but I wouldn't associate this shape, particularly, with German glass.

So, essentially, I dunno!

Offline Ivo

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2009, 06:16:32 AM »
Same considerations as Nick - with the note that this is a particular well made design and I would check the underside for the etched P of Peill. They had a habit of putting this on matt etched lamps as well, where you cannot possibly see it. I had a matt etched piece the other day and I only found out it was P&P when I looked at a photograph of it!

Offline Anne E.B.

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2009, 11:46:29 AM »
No sign of any marks but will keep looking, however we've eventually been able to read a very yellowed small paper label stuck right at the bottom on the inside - using a mirror.  This reads "Decoration only. Keep out of reach of young children."    :huh:  It may, or may not have anything to do with the piece, but if it does, then I'm confused as to why it would say that.  This is face down (hence the mirror) and cannot be seen from looking at the base.  :huh:
Anne E.B

Offline keith

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2009, 01:29:04 PM »
Just seen a post on ebay for a lamp similar to yours with what looks like an original advert for the lamp stating it's from Sweden,a 'Bonvita' lamp,1957,Keith.

Offline Anne E.B.

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2009, 09:53:13 PM »
Excellent.  Thank you ;) 

That ties in with the date I was given, and, viewed from a different angle, mine looks to be identical.
Anne E.B

Offline Anne E.B.

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2009, 08:02:11 PM »
Just an update.  I now have the "Bonvita Swedish Glass Table Lamp" advertisement, and it does look to be the same design, however, whilst googling for info on another table lamp, I came across another identical one, this time attributed to "Lisa Johannssen-Paps" for Iittala c.1954, which would again fit within the time frame I was given when buying my lamp, and seen here no. 971. http://www.treadwaygallery.com/ONLINECATALOGS/DEC2004/0951-1000.html
("Lisa Johansson-Pape" on an Iittala designers website).
There's also one currently for sale on ebay in the USA also attributed to Iittala, Finland.
So, Finland v Sweden  :huh: ;D  
Anne E.B

Offline Pinkspoons

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Re: Large retro mushroom lamp
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2009, 08:39:58 PM »
It's not illustrated in Iittala 125, which isn't to say that it's not Iittala as there's a lot that isn't in the book - but the book does tend to cover examples of a type from each artist, and for Lisa Johansson-Pape it only shows three pendant lamps, two of which are loosely similar in form to your lamp, designed between 1952 - 1956.

So it sounds like whoever did the research for the auction took a best-guess after looking through the book - and also came up with their design year by simply picking the median.

All things being equal, I'd go with the advertisement.

 

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