Hans-Agne Jakobsson floor lamp

A rare model G-110 floor lamp designed by Swedish lighting designer Hans-Agne Jakobsson and produced by Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB in Markaryd, Sweden, during the 1950s. The lamp is constructed primarily from brass and textile string and measures approximately 40 cm in diameter and 138 cm in height / 15.7 in in diameter and 54.3 in in height.

The construction is based on a slender vertical brass stem mounted centrally on a low circular base. The restrained supporting structure places the visual emphasis on the comparatively broad shade. The stem consists of narrow cylindrical brass sections, while the base is formed as a shallow circular disc with a raised edge. A small switch is positioned near the upper section of the stem. The brass has a warm golden tone with darker areas of oxidation and patination that have developed through age and handling.

The shade is composed as a shallow circular volume with a polished brass upper plate and perimeter. Below this rigid metal structure, off-white textile strings are arranged in concentric tiers. The outermost fringe forms a relatively deep cylindrical curtain, while successive inner layers decrease in diameter toward the center. Viewed from below, these stepped rings create a tiered geometry that gives the otherwise simple circular shade considerable depth and texture.

The textile construction is integral to the lamp’s lighting function rather than being purely decorative. Individual threads partially obscure the light source while leaving narrow spaces through which illumination can pass. When switched on, the textile changes from off-white to warmer cream and amber tones. Light is diffused laterally through the fibers and directed downward through the progressively smaller concentric layers, producing a soft distribution of light and emphasizing the repetitive vertical texture of the threads.

Hans-Agne Jakobsson (1919–2009) was a Swedish interior architect and lighting designer closely associated with postwar Scandinavian lighting. After working with established Swedish design and manufacturing companies, he founded his own firm in Markaryd in 1951. His lighting frequently investigated the control of glare and the atmospheric qualities of artificial light, using layered shades, reflective metal, glass, wood and textile elements to conceal or filter the light source.

Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB developed into an important Swedish lighting manufacturer during the second half of the twentieth century. Production in Markaryd encompassed a wide range of ceiling, wall, table and floor lamps, with brass becoming an important material in many designs. Rather than treating the bulb as a visible focal point, numerous Jakobsson designs employ screens, layered elements and reflective surfaces to modify the direction and intensity of illumination. The G-110 demonstrates this approach through the combination of a precise brass structure and a comparatively soft textile diffuser.

The lamp is in good vintage condition with small signs of use consistent with its age. The brass displays surface marks, minor scratches, oxidation and variations in tone, particularly along the stem and base. The textile fringe remains substantially intact, with minor irregularities and variations in the alignment and length of individual threads visible on close inspection. The underside retains the manufacturer’s label reading “Hans-Agne Jakobsson, Markaryd, Made in Sweden” together with the model designation G.110, documenting the lamp’s manufacturer and model.