Ben Swildens, Edition Verre Lumière, France, Designed 1973

Ben Swildens, Edition Verre Lumière, France, Designed 1973

A rare and highly collectible adjustable floor lamp designed by Ben Swildens and produced by Verre Lumière in France, circa 1973. Originally conceived in 1967, this iconic design is among the most significant large-scale lighting works of late French modernism.

Executed in chrome-plated steel, the lamp features an articulated structure that pivots and rotates, allowing for multiple spatial configurations. When fully extended, the lamp reaches over 77 inches in length, creating a dramatic architectural gesture that functions equally as illumination and sculpture.

Swildens, a Dutch designer and architect, collaborated with Verre Lumière to produce a small number of these lamps, now widely regarded as museum-quality objects and rarely available on the market. Examples of this model are documented in important period literature and have become staples of high-end design collections.

Details

• Designer: Ben Swildens

• Edition: Verre Lumière

• Place of Origin: France

• Date: Designed 1967; produced circa 1973

• Period: 1970–1979

• Style: Mid-Century Modern

• Materials: Chrome-plated steel

• Dimensions (adjustable):

  • Height: 28½–53½ in (72–136 cm)

  • Width: 47½–49 in (121–124 cm)

  • Depth: 19½–20 in (50–51 cm)

  • Maximum extension: over 77 in (195 cm)

• Condition: minor scratches throughout small dings near base, consistent with age and use,works well, presents nicely

Literature

• Decoration: Tradition et Renouveau, Spar, p. 20