2008 – “Messages of light from Japan on the Seine”, Paris by Akari-Lisa Ishii & Motoko Ishii. Commemorating 150 years of Japan-France relations.
Links (external links open in a new window)
History of the company can be found here: 60 Years of Light from Lemgo – Zumtobel plant celebrates historic milestones
R.A.W: Motoko Ishii – Women in Lighting
Motoko Ishii Globe Flush Mount
Materials: Chrome-coloured round metal ceiling mount with a white edge. Iridescent pearl coated glass sphere lampshade inside. Shiny on the outside. Bakelite E14 socket.
Height: 26 cm / 11.41”
Width: ∅ 23 cm / 9.05”
Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific preferred. But a white or frosted one is recommended.
Period: 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: Motoko Ishii.
Manufacturer: Staff & Schwarz Leuchtenwerke GMBH, Lemgo, Germany.
Other versions: This Motoko Ishii globe flush mount exists with several types of glass.
Motoko Ishii
Motoko Ishii, born October 15, 1938 is a lighting designer from Japan. In 1965, she went to Finland to study designing lighting equipment. She worked at lighting-design offices in Finland and Germany until 1967. In Germany Motoko Ishii studied architectural illumination. Returning to Japan in 1968, she established the Ishii Motoko Design Office.
For Staff and the Yamagiwa Electric Co. LTD, she designed many lamps. You can find the awarded ones on the iF Design Award website. These lamps were sold by both companies.
Motoko Ishii’s Staff designs are often confused with the designs of Rolf Krüger. You can find his designs for Staff over here.
Staff
Staff Leuchten – Staff & Schwarz Leuchtenwerk (lighting plant) – was established by Alfred Staff and Otto Schwarz in Lemgo, (West) Germany in 1945.
Their business started as a shop for consumer goods in wood and metal as well as pesticide for controlling the Colorado potato beetle, a huge problem at that time.
Within a year they the company expanded with 15 employees and they produced the first wrought iron luminaires. Over the next three decades, Staff was to develop into a world leader in design excellence, receiving over 200 awards for their achievements.
Staff also collaborated with the Italian company Stilnovo. They published a joint catalogue in the 1970s. The Dutch Raak and the Danish Lyfa sold several lamps in the 60s and 70s. Several other companies did.
In 1994 Zumtobel bought the company.
Many thanks to Frank from nullviernull raum+kommunikation for the beautiful pictures and enthusiasm. You can find his shop over here on Ebay.