Chrome Globes Chandelier

Materials: Thin chromed metal (iron) curved rods. White painted wood (in the middle of the chandelier). Chrome tube. Chrome rod and canopy. 5 chrome globes, painted white inside. Bakelite E14 sockets.

Total Height (with rod): 58 cm / 22.83”

Height: 26 cm / 10.23”

Width: ∅ 56 cm / 22.04”

Electricity: 5 bulbs E27, 5 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred. The original lamp uses silver cup light bulbs.

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

Designer: To be appraised. Made after a design by Klaus Hempel in 1972 for Kaiser Leuchten (Gebr. Kaiser & Co. Leuchten KG).

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

Other versions: This chrome globes chandelier exists in orange (instead of white parts). Made with 3, 5 or 8 globes. Also produced as a single pendant lamp and a cascading chandelier.

The most important and striking difference with the original lamps is that those of Klaus Hempel are round at the top. The lamps from Massive are flattened. You can find the real Hempel lamp over here.

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.

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.

This chandelier is often sold as a chandelier from Raak, The Netherlands. It is not, of course. These lamps are not described in any catalogue of the Raak company.

Kaiser Leuchten

Often sold as a lamp made by Kaiser Leuchten but it only is very similar with the original one. Klaus Hempel designed the table and wall lamp in 1972. Also a cascading chandelier was made. Gebr. Kaiser & Co. Leuchten KG received an If Design Award for this lamp: discipline product. (link on the left of this page) Klaus Hempel designed several lamps for Hustadt-Leuchten and Kaiser Leuchten.