Raak Lichtsculptuur Table Lamp –Vintageinfo

Raak Lichtsculptuur table lamp 4 brushed aluminium tubes design: Maurice Grothausen 1960s 1970s vintage E27 sockets

Raak Lichtsculptuur table lamp D-2079 – Catalogue picture

Dutch text from the Raak catalogue 8 (1968)

De architect Maurice Grothausen is de geestelijke vader van deze lichtsculptuur. Een lamp niet in de eerste plaats bedoeld om licht te geven, maar een lamp als ‘verlicht voorwerp’ in het interieur. Een lamp die de hand van de architect verraadt, de interesse van de beeldhouwer en de blik van de graficus.

D-2079 hoogte 35 cm, breedte 30 cm, 4 lampen 40-60W.
Het geheel in mat-glanzend aluminium.

Translated text

The architect Maurice Grothausen is the spiritual father of this light sculpture. A lamp not intended in the first place to give light, but a light bulb as ‘illuminated object’ in the interior. A lamp holding the hand of the architect betrays the interest of the sculptor and the look of the
graphic artist.

D-2079 height 35 cm, width 30 cm, 4 lamps 40-60W.
All in matt-polished/brushed aluminium.

Raak Lichtsculptuur Table Lamp (Light Sculpture)

Materials: Rectangular aluminium base. 4 brushed aluminium tubular lampshades, painted white inside. 4 porcelain E27 sockets.

Height: 35 cm / 13.77”

Width: 30 cm / 11.81”

Electricity: 4 bulbs E27, 4 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, but preferably clear small light bulbs.

Period: 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Maurice M. Grothausen (1925 – 2016).

Manufacturer: Raak Lichtarchitectuur, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Other versions: The Raak Lichtsculptuur table lamp exists in some varieties. Different tubes and also made in copper coloured aluminium. The tubes can be exchanged among each others in endless combinations. This table lamp is often used as a floor lamp. It is model D-2079.

Raak

The Dutch company Raak was founded in 1954 by Carel O. Lockhorn (18 June 1923 – 6 October 2004), a previous employee of Philips Lighting Eindhoven. Raak, which means “to hit” in Dutch, implies design which precisely “hits the nail on the head”.

Raak is best known for their organic modern design of the 1960s and 1970s which combined glass & metals for a sophisticated futuristic style.

The light company collaborated with several international designers and architects, including Bertrand Balas, Evert Jelle Jelles, Frank Ligtelijn, Ger Vos, Jan Jasper Fayer, Maurice M. Grothausen, Li Helo, Maija-Liisa Komulainen, Nan Platvoet, Nanny Still-Mackinney, Nico Kooi, Sergio Asti, Tapio Wirkala, Willem van Oyen and many others.

Raak also collaborated with other companies. They also sold lamps made by Peill + Putzler, such as a pendant lamp designed by Aloys Ferdinand Gangkofner. For the Raak Discus the glass was made by Bega, also a German company. For the Stalactites flush mounts a cooperation with the Belgian Val Saint Lambert was undertaken in the late 1950s. Raak also sold some lamps that were produced by Staff Leuchten (Staff & Schwarz Leuchtenwerke GMBH) from Germany.

Carel Lockhorn sold the company in 1974 to ITT but remained a director until 1977. In 1980 Raak merged with BIS Lighting from Aalsmeer, also in The Netherlands and was renamed into BisRaak. In 1986 the Raak company became independent again. The company got a business appearance and only the colours white, black and grey were still processed.

In 1999, Raak merged with Artilite B.V. and Indoor B.V. and became CLA: Centrum voor Lichtarchitectuur B.V. in Drachten (Centre for Light Architecture). The Centre for Lighting Architecture was founded by Egbert Keen. CLA was declared bankrupt on 19-05-2011.