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CHI Good Questions: Bohus of Retrothing's Lamp Mystery

2008-05-06-lampportrait.jpgBohus sent us in a good question: "My mother bought this hanging lamp in a Danish furniture store in the late 60's. She had just immigrated to the U.S., fell in love with the lamp, and bought it despite not really being able to afford it. As a new citizen of this country there were a lot of new stresses for her, so having at least one nice thing waiting for her at home was a comfort....


 
 

The shade is made of slender bent wood and the light glows a warm orange right through the wooden sides. The photos will tell you that the shade is a terribly fragile thing, and it wasn't helped by the bashing that it got when it was first installed (not by my father, thank you very much...).

It's still holding together, and I've inherited the tradition of effecting frequent repairs on the thing. I've used weights, a bubble level, hot glue... but I've still got a long way to go to seamlessly repair this featherweight wooden lamp. If only it would at least hang straight. Then the brainstorm – maybe I could find another one out there?

My mother got this some 40 years ago, so I don't know what the likelihood that this might still be available. Have any of you seen one of these before? Any idea of who might have made this or what the style is called? Someone I know thought that these are still being made in Denmark today... what do you readers out there think?"


2008-05-06-sprout.jpg

Bohus, your Mom's lamp reminds us of this Bent Wood lamp, currently available at Sprout Home. It's made by Henning Gyes, a Costa Rican of German descent and are based on designs he originally saw in Norway. The one shown here is made of Plantation Pine, and sells for $110.

Can anyone add more info on this style of lamp for Bohus? Please let him know in the comments below.


Bohus originally posted this mystery on Retro Thing, a super blog all about retro goodies, based (partially) here in Chicago. Check out his post here.

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lighting, Good Questions

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Comments (7)

These are very cool. I especially love the first one. I wish I could help with a resource (because I'd try to get there before you do).

Also, thanks for the blog mention. I love Retro (so very much).

T8
www.strangeclosets.com
When design takes priority, the result is often strange closets.

posted by t8 on 2008-05-06 17:23:22
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we had an almost identical lamp ( shade only) that I had put on a floor lamp-unfortunately my cat knocked it over and the very brittle veneer strips just shattered and splintered!!! I was very sad because it gave off such a nice warm golden light...I knew nothing about it and it was bought in a second hand shop in Vancouver...

posted by bgball on 2008-05-06 17:26:57
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http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/small-cool-2007-entries/16-brian-lukes-postwar-paradise-021418

It's in our entry for last years Cool/Small, pic #3
BB

posted by bgball on 2008-05-06 17:29:58
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Oh great. Just when I thought I'd decided what pendant to get for my living room, you had to go and show me something all awesome!

Sorry I don't have any clues to your mystery.

posted by jennifer in sf on 2008-05-06 19:14:05
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"danish-lights" on ebay might be able to help you.

posted by greenlight on 2008-05-06 23:33:07
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I make pendant lights out of reclaimed birch and maple rings that look very very similar to 1st the light you have posted. They are completely customable to 60"diameter and any height you want. I am planning on entering the DWR lighting competition with them...but if isn't TOO inappropriate, I could send you some images and we could discuss your needs further.

posted by parttimedesign on 2008-05-07 01:44:13
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