Atomic Globes Chandelier

Materials: Chromed metal (iron) curved & straight rods and parts. Thick chrome tube in the middle. Long chrome rod and canopy. 9 white opal glass globe lampshades. 9 Bakelite E14 sockets.

Rod Length: 40 cm / 15.74”

Height: 40 cm / 15.74”

Width: ∅ 65 cm / 25.59”

Electricity: 9 bulbs E14, 9 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred, but a white bulb gives the best result.

Period: 1960s, 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Massive, Mortsel, Belgium.

Other versions: This atomic globes chandelier exists in many forms and sizes, small to super big. Until recent years the glass globes were still for sale in the Massive shops, maybe today. They are made of thin glass and break easy.

This chandelier has many similarities with the globe lamps designed by E. R. Nele for Temde Leuchten. Often said Max Bill, but those are false assumptions. E.R. Nele is Eva Renée Nele Bode. She is a German sculptor that made many large scale metal sculptures. E.R. Nele designed 20 years for Temde.

It also has similarities with the lamps designed by Peter Rockel for the Palace of the Republic in the GDR (German Democratic Republic – East Germany). Also Fabio Bergomi (Italy) and many others.

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 commercialized 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.