Paavo Tynell wall lamps

This very rare pair of model 9414 wall lamps was designed by Finnish lighting designer Paavo Tynell and produced by Taito Oy in Finland during the 1950s.

The construction is executed predominantly in brass and is based on a long, articulated arm projecting from a compact rectangular wall mounting plate. Rather than using a conventional straight swing arm, Tynell formed the tubular brass structure into a stepped, almost continuous linear profile with rounded corners. The arm can be rotated at the wall fitting, allowing the fixture to be folded toward the wall or extended substantially into the room.

At the end of the arm, a pivoting brass connection supports the shade and permits the direction of the light to be altered independently of the position of the arm. The combination of these adjustment points gives the fixture an unusually large operating range for a wall-mounted lamp. Fully extended, each example offered here reaches approximately 81 cm (31.89 in) from the wall. The articulated construction makes the model suitable for directional illumination while allowing it to occupy considerably less space when folded back.

Each lamp is fitted with a newly made textile shade in a warm off-white to pale cream tone. The shades have a gently tapered conical profile, measuring 20.5 cm (8.07 in) in diameter and 19.5 cm (7.68 in) in height. Their neutral textile surface contrasts with the harder metallic construction and filters the light into a soft, diffuse illumination while leaving the lower opening available for more concentrated downward light.

The brass has developed variations in tone across the surfaces, ranging from relatively bright golden areas to darker amber and brown patination. Small marks, oxidation and irregularities remain visible, particularly along the tubular arms and around the joints and mounting hardware. This surface variation gives a clear indication of the material’s age and contrasts with the clean appearance of the newly produced shades. The fixtures are in good vintage condition with small signs of use consistent with their age.

Paavo Tynell (1890–1973) was a central figure in the development of modern Finnish lighting. Trained at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki, he subsequently taught metalwork there. He was among the founders of Oy Taito Ab and worked as the company’s director and chief designer until 1953. Tynell’s background in metalwork remained fundamental to his approach to lighting, and his work frequently combined technically functional mechanisms with carefully considered brass construction.

Taito Oy was established in 1918 as an art-metalwork company and became closely associated with the emergence of modern Finnish lighting design. Under Tynell’s direction, the manufacturer produced lighting for domestic interiors as well as architectural commissions. Tynell’s work through Taito also developed alongside Finnish modernist architecture, including collaborations with Alvar Aalto. The company and designer consequently occupy an important position in the history of twentieth-century Finnish lighting.

Each lamp measures approximately 81 cm (31.89 in) in maximum depth when fully extended. Each new shade measures 20.5 cm (8.07 in) in diameter and 19.5 cm (7.68 in) in height.