Raak B-1044 Pendant Lamp –

Text from the catalogue in Dutch – Raak B-1044 – Catalogue 8 – 1968

B-1044 Ø 35 cm, hoogte 18 cm, lamp tot 100 W, bij voorkeur helder.

“Een bal van kristal in een schaal van metaal
een schaal van metaal rond een bal van kristal.
En de schaal zilverblank of koperkleur
en het kristal voornaam als kristal.”

Een lamp voor heel verfijnde interieurs.
Metaal naar keuze: warmglanzende koperkleur òf blank lichtmetaal.

Translated text from the catalogue – Raak B-1044 – Catalogue 8 – 1968

B-1044 Ø 35 cm, height 18 cm, lamp up to 100 W, preferably clear.

“A ball of crystal in a scale of metal
a scale of metal around a ball of crystal.
And the scale is silver white or copper colour
and the crystal grand as crystal. “

A lamp for very refined interiors.
Metal of choice: warm shiny copper colour or blank light metal.

Raak B-1044 – Catalogue 8 – 1968

Lamps in the movies

A Raak B-1044 pendant lamp was used as a prop in the 1973 French comedy film Le Grand Bazar. Starring Les Charlots (The Crazy Boys), André Badin, Roger Carel and Coluche.

Raak B-1044 Pendant Lamp

Materials: 2 pressed crystal glass half round shells. 2 brushed anodised aluminium rings. White painted metal ring in the middle. Some metal and brass parts. Bakelite E27 socket.

Cord Length: 60 cm / 23.62’’

Height: 18 cm / 7.08”

Width: ∅ 35 cm / 13.77”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 100 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, but preferable a clear one.

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

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Raak Lichtarchitectuur, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Other versions: The Raak B-1044 pendant lamp exists also in copper coloured anodised aluminium.

This pendant lamp was made for a short while, it only appears in the Raak catalogue 8 from 1968. In catalogue 9 from 1972 it is not mentioned anymore.

The Belgian Massive company produced a very similar pendant lamp, as you can see below. It is often confused with the Raak B-1044 pendant lamp.

Raak

The Dutch company Raak Lichtarchitectuur (Light architecture) was founded in 1954 by Carel O. Lockhorn (18 June 1923 – 6 October 2004), a previous employee of Philips Lighting Eindhoven. Raak, which means “to hit” in Dutch, implies design which precisely “hits the nail on the head”.

Raak is best known for their organic modern design of the 1960s and 1970s which combined glass & metals for a sophisticated futuristic style.

Designers

The light company collaborated with several international designers and architects, including Bertrand Balas, Evert Jelle Jelles, Frank Ligtelijn. Ger Vos, Jan Jasper Fayer, Li Helo, Maija-Liisa Komulainen. Nan Platvoet, Nanny Still-Mackinney, Nico Kooi. Sergio Asti, Tapio Wirkala, Willem van Oyen and many others.

Collaborations

Raak also collaborated with other companies. They worked with the German Peill + Putzler for the Raak Globe lamps. Peill + Putzler produced the glass. They also sold lamps made by Peill + Putzler, such as a pendant lamp designed by Aloys Ferdinand Gangkofner. For the Raak Discus the glass was made by Bega, also a German company. For the Stalactites flush mounts a cooperation with the Belgian Val Saint Lambert was undertaken in the late 1950s. Raak also sold some lamps that were produced by Staff Leuchten (Staff & Schwarz Leuchtenwerke GMBH) from Germany. iittala from Finland produced the glass for the lamps that were designed by Tapio Wirkkala. Raak collaborated with many other producers of lighting.

Carel Lockhorn sold the company in 1974 to ITT but remained a director until 1977. In 1980 Raak merged with BIS Lighting from Aalsmeer, also in The Netherlands and was renamed into BisRaak. In 1986 the Raak company became independent again. The company got a business appearance and only the colours white, black and grey were still processed.

In 1999, Raak merged with Artilite B.V. and Indoor B.V. and became CLA: Centrum voor Lichtarchitectuur B.V. in Drachten (Centre for Light Architecture). The Centre for Lighting Architecture was founded by Egbert Keen. The company was declared bankrupt on 19-05-2011.