Josep Magem 1970s Clamp Lamp

Materials: White painted half round metal (iron) lampshade, also white on the inside. Perforated with elongated slots. Black goose-neck and parts. Built-in dimmer in the round base with a black rotary knob. Anthracite coloured clamp. Some metal parts. White painted Bakelite E27 socket.

Height: 90 cm / 35.43” – adjustable

Lampshade: 16 cm / 6.29”

Electricity: 1 bulbE27, 1 x 75 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.

Period: 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Josep Maria Magem.

Manufacturer: Madom, Carrer de Ginebra 7-9, Barcelona, Spain.

Other versions: This Josep Magem 1970s clamp lamp exists in several colours. It was also made in chrome. The perforated slot idea was used for several other lamp designs. A wall lamp can be found over here, a chrome clamp lamp over here.

Josep Magem

Josep Maria Magem was born in 1941 in Sabadell, the fifth largest city in Catalonia, Spain. It is some 25 km/15 mi from Barcelona.

He learned the craft for the design and construction of furniture in the family workshop. At the end of the 1950s he studied applied arts in Barcelona. During his studies he also worked for decorator Armand Albiol.

He managed to introduce a new furniture and interior design line in Sabadell. His shop became a benchmark for high-end products in which he worked with a team of professionals from different fields.

Apart from interior design, he also emphasized the design of lamps. He started to design for Madom in the late 1960s; the first lamp was presented in June 1970. He designed many lamps for the company, among which several floor lamps. Madom was part of Marset Iluminación (lighting). Madom closed but Josep Magem remained linked to Marset until the 1990s. One of the last lamps he designed was the Gavina wall lamp in 1994. 

Magem also designed for other companies such as Euskadi/Belux and Swarovski. He retired in 2012 and closed his store although he later continued working. He died in his hometown Sabadell in 2017.

Marset

Not much is known about the company, they don’t tell much on their website, unfortunately. Some 50 people work for the firm. The factory & headquarters are located in Terrassa, not far from Barcelona. The company is present in New York, USA and it has showrooms in Cologne, Germany, Milan, Italy and Barcelona, Spain.

Designers that work for Marset are: Christophe Mathieu, Fabien Dumas, Francesc Rifè, Inma Bermúdez, Joan Gaspar, Jordi Canudas, Josep Lluís Xuclà, Lluís Porqueras, Mashallah, Mathias Hahn, Ramírez i Carrillo, Rob Zinn, Sputnik Estudio, Ulli Budde, Xavier Mañosa and Yonoh.