Table lamps

This is a rare pair of Swedish table lamps from the 1940s, crafted from brass, glass, and elm wood. Though the designer remains unidentified, the lamps reflect the early mid-century Scandinavian aesthetic with a subtle blend of traditional craftsmanship and emerging modernist tendencies.

Each lamp features a compact, rounded brass base with a slightly domed profile that supports a vertically rising arm, bent at a right angle to cradle the lampshade. The central vertical element is accentuated by a smooth, turned elmwood grip, which contrasts texturally and tonally with the metal structure. The wood has a warm, amber hue with fine grain typical of elm, and its elongated, oval shape contributes to the vertical rhythm of the design.

The lampshades are made of white glass and are elongated and conical with a fluted surface, producing a softly diffused and warm light when illuminated. The ridged pattern in the glass enhances the dispersion of light while adding visual texture to the surface. The glass is clean and unchipped, with slight natural patination to the brass and minor age-appropriate wear visible on the bases, including some surface marks and oxidation. These details confirm the authenticity and age of the lamps without compromising their structural integrity or visual presence.

Functionally, each lamp is equipped with a small white plastic push-button switch mounted on the base. The articulated shade connection allows for directional adjustment, indicating an early consideration for task lighting, typical of desk or bedside use.

These lamps are characteristic of a transitional period in Scandinavian lighting design, where handcrafted elements such as wood turning and glasswork were beginning to merge with the streamlined metal forms that would come to define the mid-century aesthetic in the following decades.

Each lamp measures 10 cm in width, 28 cm in depth, and 28 cm in height, corresponding to approximately 3.9 inches wide, 11 inches deep, and 11 inches high.