1950s Philips Style Desk Lamp

Materials: Matt black painted round aluminium base with a built-in switch. Cast iron counterweight inside. Matt black painted mushroom lampshade Brass gooseneck. Bakelite E27 socket.

Height: 40 cm / 15.74” – adjustable

Lampshade: ∅ 30 cm / 11.81”

Base: ∅ 15 cm / 5.90”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 75 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of lamp can be used. Not a specific one preferred.

Period: 1950s, 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Massive, Kontich and Wommelgem, Belgium.

Other versions: Made in several colours. Also produced with a brass rod. An example can be found over here.

Always said that these lamps are a Louis Kalff design for Philips, but they are not. They don’t appear in any Philips catalogue.

Massive 

Massive was in origin a bronze foundry and they produced mainly candlesticks, crucifixes and chandeliers in Wilrijk near Antwerp, Belgium. The company was founded in 1926 by Pieter-Jozef De Jaeck. His son Eddy De Jaeck was responsible for the huge expansion of the company in the 1970s. But it were his sons, Piet and Jan De Jaeck who made Massive a true multinational. Thus, they moved production to Eastern Europe and China.

In the 1980s Massive became the leading brand in Europe. In 2002, the brothers left the company to the investment fund CVC Capital Partners, for allegedly more than 250 million euros. 
Since 2008 the company is owned by Philips and the name of the shops is changed into Light Gallery.

When the takeover by Philips was announced in November 2006 Massive commercialised more than 10.000 lighting products under brand names such as Massive, TRIO and Lirio. The group had about 5.000 employees worldwide and was active in 70 countries.