Paavo Tynell floor lamp

A rare model 9621 floor lamp designed by Finnish designer Paavo Tynell and produced by Taito Oy in Finland during the 1940s. The lamp combines brass, leather and a slatted wooden shade, bringing together industrial metalwork and natural materials in a construction characteristic of Tynell’s approach to lighting during this period. The overall dimensions are approximately 62.5 cm wide, 31 cm deep and 171 cm high / 24.6 in wide, 12.2 in deep and 67.3 in high.

The construction is organized around a tall, slender brass stem rising from a low circular brass base. Its strongly vertical profile is interrupted near the upper section by a cylindrical grip wrapped with a continuous strip of cognac-brown leather. The tightly wound leather introduces a warmer color and tactile surface against the polished metal while also functioning as a distinct construction detail. Above the shade, the central brass stem continues vertically, reinforcing the axial geometry of the design.

The broad shade has a shallow, elongated form with gently curved ends and slightly inclined sides. It is constructed from closely spaced natural-colored wooden slats joined horizontally to create a flexible, semi-transparent screen around a white internal metal framework. The pale honey and straw tones of the wood contrast with the darker, aged brass and brown leather. When illuminated, the spaces between the individual slats filter the light and produce a linear pattern of light and shadow, while the open underside allows more direct downward illumination.

Inside the shade is a substantial brass lighting assembly positioned around the central stem. The elongated housing has softly rounded ends and accommodates multiple light sources, distributing illumination across the width of the shade rather than concentrating it at a single point. This horizontal lighting arrangement corresponds closely with the proportions of the shade. The combination of perforated natural material, reflective brass surfaces and multiple light sources creates both diffused lateral illumination and directed light below.

Paavo Tynell (1890–1973) was one of the central figures in twentieth-century Finnish lighting design. Trained as a metalworker before establishing himself as a designer, he developed lighting in which the technical properties of metal were frequently combined with more tactile materials and carefully controlled methods of filtering and reflecting light. His work ranges from restrained functional lighting to more decorative designs, but craftsmanship, material contrast and manipulation of illumination remained consistent aspects of his practice.

Taito Oy was established in Helsinki in 1918, with Tynell among its founders, and became an important Finnish manufacturer of lighting and metalwork. Tynell served for many years as the company’s principal designer. During the 1930s and 1940s, his work for Taito increasingly explored indirect and filtered illumination, often using perforated metal, brass, glass and natural materials. Model 9621 belongs to this broader development, combining a highly rational structural arrangement with materials that soften both its appearance and the quality of its light.

The lamp is in good vintage condition with signs of age and use. The brass has developed substantial natural patination, oxidation, surface marks and areas of wear, particularly along the stem and circular base, where the original golden surface varies from bright brass to dark brown and blue-grey tones. Scratches and rubbed areas are visible on the base and metal components. The cognac-colored leather wrapping remains present with age-related wear and tonal variation. The wooden shade shows minor irregularities and signs of age consistent with its construction and period. These traces of use remain visible rather than having been removed through extensive refinishing. The underside is stamped “TAITO 9621” identifying the manufacturer and model number.