Links (external links open in a new window)
iF-Design awards for Peill + Putzler
Koninklijke Philips N.V. website
Brutalist architecture – Wikipedia
Vintageinfo
1960s Caged Glass Copper Pendant Lamps – Van Doorn Catalogue Picture
1960s Caged Glass Copper Pendant Lamps
Materials: Copper tubular lampshades with several round holes. Inside a thin layer of green and amber coloured glass. The glass is moulded inside the copper. Some plastic parts. Long metal ceiling bar for the canopy. Bakelite E27 sockets.
Cord Length: 80 cm / 31.49’’
Height: 18,5 cm / 7.28”
Width: ∅ 11,3 cm / 4.44”
Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.
Period: 1960s, 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: To be appraised.
Manufacturer: Peill + Putzler, Düren, Germany.
Other versions: These 1960s caged glass copper pendant lamps exists in innumerable variations.
The style of these type of lamps is often named Brutalist. Not to be confused with the Brutalist architecture, or Brutalism from more or less the same period. That’s something completely different.
Nanny Still
These lamps in all forms and sizes are often attributed as Raak Lichtarchitectuur lamps, produced in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and designed by Nanny Still-Mackinney. Unfortunately there is absolutely no proof for it. On the contrary, these lamps never appear in a catalogue published by Raak, not even a lamp in this style. Also, you will never find a lamp with a Raak label on it. When you do a search for them, numerous models appear. All Raak and Nanny Still… Strange indeed. Raak never produced glass. They did not have a glass furnace. Most of the glass was produced by companies such as Bega, Peill + Putzler, Iitala and Val Saint Lambert.
Koninklijke Philips N.V. sold many lamps like this, as you can see below in catalogues from 1967 and 1968.
The Austrian company Rupert Nikoll also sold several lamps in this style. Emil Stejnar was their most well known designer.
All these lamps, also those by Philips, were made by Peill + Putzler. Peill + Putzler produced glass for many lamp producers in the world at that period. Other companies that sold these type of lamps are, among others: Van Doorn, The Netherlands, Massive Lighting, Belgium, Arnold Wiigs Fabrikker, Norway, Herda, The Netherlands and several others.
The technique used for creating these lamps was invented in Murano, Italy. They call it caged glass. The glass is blown inside the copper while the copper is heated. It’s impossible to remove the glass afterwards.
Peill + Putzler
Glashüttenwerk Peill und Sohn was founded in 1903 in Düren, a small town in (West) Germany. Peill und Sohn merged with Putzler (founded in 1869) in 1947 as a glass works and lighting company and became Peill + Putzler Glashüttenwerke.
The company always worked with important designers such as Wilhelm Wagenfeld, William Brown, Helmut Demary, Aloys Ferdinand Gangkofner, Horst Tüselmann and many others.
In the 1950s 1500 people were working for the company. They also produced glass for other light companies in Europe, such as Raak, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
In 1995 the production of glass and lights moved to Slovenia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Only the trading of lamps en glass stayed in Düren. 1 year after the 100th anniversary in 2004, bankruptcy was filed.
In 2008 the name Peill + Putzler was re-used for several years for among others the Wagenfeld lighting of the German lighting company of Paul Neuhaus.
Today the Peill + Putzler factory is called Glashütte Düren and is converted to many other businesses and conference centre.
Many thanks to Frank from Flowermountain.be for the photos and the enthusiasm.
Many thanks to Marjan from Vintage Drachten for the pictures of the other lamps.
Many thanks to Hans from Ztijl Design for the Van Doorn catalogue picture.