Links (external links open in a new window)
The complete history of the company on the Philips website
The Evoluon building – Wikipedia
Website of the Philips Museum in Eindhoven
Vintageinfo
Nylon String Bedside Lamp
Materials: White round plastic base. Nylon wire for the round lampshade decorated with knitted crochet fabric. Bakelite socket.
Height: 24 cm / 9.44”
Width: ∅ 15 cm / 5.90”
Base: ∅ 8,2 cm / 3.22”
Electricity: 1 bulb E14, 1 x 40 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.
Period: 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: To be appraised.
Manufacturer: Philips, Eindhoven, The Netherlands and Turnhout, Belgium.
Other versions: This nylon string bedside lamp exists in all probability in several colours. Many lights were produced with the same base but with a different lampshade.
Koninklijke Philips N.V.
Inspired by the fast-growing electricity industry and the promising results of Gerard Philips own experiments to make reliable carbon filaments, Frederik Philips (his father) financed the purchase of a modest factory in Eindhoven, The Netherlands in 1891. Frederik Philips was a Jewish banker based in Zaltbommel.
In 1895, after difficult first four years and near bankruptcy, Anton Philips joined the company. He was Gerard’s younger brother. With Anton’s arrival, the family business began to expand rapidly. The brothers changed their family business by founding the Philips corporation. They laid the foundations for the later electronics multinational.
In 1930 the first shaver of the Philips company was introduced and was simply called “The Philishave”.
A day before the German invasion in the Netherlands on 9 Mai 1940, the Philips family fled to the United States of America, taking a large amount of the company capital with them. Operating from the US as the North American Philips Company, they managed to run the company throughout the war. After World War II the company was moved back to the Netherlands, with their headquarters in Eindhoven.
Philips NTD 100 table lamp in a catalogue from 1968: different lampshade but it has the same base.
Paul Secon – Sompex
In the 60’s nylon wire became popular for lighting thanks to Paul Secon who designed many lamps with this wire for the German company Sompex. Several examples can be found on Vintageinfo.
Sompex was founded in 1948 by Rolf O. Burghard as the Soest Import en Export Company in Soest, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. In 1950 they moved to Düsseldorf. Sompex was the exclusive importer of Scandinavian design and expanded rapidly. Since the 70’s Sompex is focused on interior lighting. The company is a family business and it still exists. Below are two pendant lamps Paul Secon designed for Sompex.
