Chrome Barbier Style Table Lamp

Materials: Chromed metal (iron) round base. Chrome globe on top, chromed plastic. Velours tubular lampshade with 2 gold coloured aluminium rings. Bakelite E27 socket.

Total Height: 48,5 cm / 19.09”

Height: 29 cm / 11.41”

Lampshade: ∅ 25 cm / 9.84”

Base: ∅ 8,8 cm / 3.46”

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: 1970s, 1980s – Hollywood Regency style.

Designer: To be appraised, “inspired” by a design of Philippe Barbier.

Manufacturer: Massive, Mortsel, Kontich and Wommelgem, Belgium.

Other versions: This chrome Barbier style table lamp was also made in brass and exists in some variations. Also made in a larger size. Produced for several years, from the 1970’s until the early 1980’s. The brass version can be found here on Vintageinfo. Sold with many different lampshades.

Label on the bottom: Mass. Max. 60W. (Massimo Maximum 60 Watt). Massimo is the Italian word for maximum. Max. is used for every other language in Europe were Massive sold lights at that time. At Massive they were economical with the labels, they started using labels when the government had compelled them to do so. The first labels that became mandatory in Europe (EEC) were stickers that stated the maximum power of the light bulbs to be used. Later on Massive used the same round labels with the same font that says: Mass. Max. 60W., Made In Belgium and also a label exists with Massive Mass. Max. 60W.

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 1970’s. 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 1980’s 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.

Massive sold many lamps made by others. Peill + Putzler from Germany and Yamada Shomei from Japan produced lamps for Massive, to name a few. Many other lighting companies did.

Philippe Barbier

These type of table lamps became popular in the late 60’s. They are made by many companies, but they all originate from designs by Philippe Barbier.

Maison Barbier was a small factory in the Rue du Pré aux Clercs, near the Boulevard Saint-Germain in the centre of Paris. The company is long gone.

Philippe Barbier was a well-known French designer. He was the first to distribute the famous stool “Tam-Tam” designed by Henry Massonnet (1922-2005), which he helped to develop. The chair is still in production.

VLM Components

All the electric parts of this lamp were made by VLM Components from Buccinasco, near Milan in Italy. The company is famous for the switches designed by Achille Castiglioni. The switch on this lamp is based on the Castiglioni design and was produced from the late 1970’s until the early 1980’s.