Philips 1960s Cylindrical Pendant Lamp

Materials: Dark grey, anthracite painted metal (iron) tubular lampshade. Red Bakelite E27 socket. Dark grey painted metal canopy.

Cord Length: 60 cm / 23.62’’

Height: 21,5 cm / 8.46”

Width: 13,5 cm / 5.31”

Canopy: 6 x 7 cm / 2.36 x 2.75”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 100 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, but preferably a PAR38 reflector lamp.

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

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Philips, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Other versions: This Philips 1960s cylindrical pendant lamp exists in several colours. Philips made several lamps such as this one over the years.

Louis Kalff

Often attributed to Louis Kalff, but that is unlikely. This lamp is from the 1960s. Louis Kalff retired in 1960. He stayed with Philips as a consultant and architect. In 1961 he was given the direction and execution of the Evoluon building in Eindhoven. It was the last work of the light architect who almost worked for 40 years at the Philips group.

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 May 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.