Bent Karlby ceiling lamp

This rare ceiling lamp, designed by Bent Karlby and produced by Lyfa in the 1950s, is a striking representation of mid-century Danish lighting design—celebrated for its sculptural grace, material refinement, and atmospheric quality. Karlby, known for his ability to balance form and function, created a pendant that is both visually elegant and technically sophisticated.

The lamp features three opaline glass shades, each softly contoured and evenly spaced around a central axis. The opaline glass provides a gentle, diffused glow, offering ambient illumination that is both warm and glare-free. These shades are designed to emphasize comfort and intimacy in the lighting environment, making them well-suited for dining areas, lounges, or entryways.

Each shade is finished with a finely perforated brass element at its base—an ornamental detail that enhances the overall composition while allowing subtle highlights of light to escape. These perforations not only add texture but also reflect Karlby’s meticulous attention to small, decorative elements that enrich without overwhelming.

The shades are suspended from a minimalist brass framework with a polished, golden finish. This framework connects the trio to a single, slender stem that extends upwards to the ceiling mount. The brass structure exudes understated luxury, providing a warm tonal counterpoint to the cool, milky glass. Newly added twisted textile cords offer a contemporary update that preserves the lamp’s vintage charm while ensuring safe, reliable function.

With its delicate equilibrium between geometry and softness, light diffusion and decorative metalwork, the lamp exemplifies Karlby’s mastery in blending modernist simplicity with refined embellishment. Lyfa, one of Denmark’s foremost lighting manufacturers, ensured that the production quality matched the designer’s vision, resulting in a piece that continues to resonate in both historical and modern interiors.

The lamp measures 55 cm in diameter and 175 cm in overall height. In imperial units, this corresponds to approximately 21.7 inches in diameter and 68.9 inches in height.