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Raak Fuga Aluminium Wall Lamp

Materials: Brushed anodised aluminium tubular lampshade, made in an organ style. Painted white on the inside. Black painted rectangular iron wall mount. 2 porcelain E27 sockets.

Height: 40 cm / 15,75”

Width: ∅ 7 cm / 2.75”

Electricity: 2 bulbs E27, 2 x 40 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Not any type of light bulb can be used. Round small bright (bullet) bulbs are preferred.

Period: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Maija Liisa Komulainen.

Manufacturer: Raak Lichtarchitectuur, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Other versions: This Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp exists also in copper coloured anodised aluminium. Made as a single tube and table lamp, 3 tubes and 5 tubes and a big version (60 cm – 23.62”). The big version was always sold as 1 tube. It is never together with others.

Maija Liisa Komulainen

These wonderful Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamps are designed at the end of the 1950s by the Finnish architect and industrial designer Maija Liisa Komulainen (born January 29, 1922), one of the top designers of the Raak design team from Amsterdam, Holland. Komulainen won several international awards with her designs.

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.

The light company collaborated with several international designers and architects, including Bertrand BalasEvert Jelle JellesFrank LigtelijnGer VosJan Jasper FayerLi HeloMaija-Liisa KomulainenNan PlatvoetNanny Still-MackinneyNico KooiSergio AstiTapio WirkalaWillem 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 and several other companies.

Carel Lockhorn

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 CLACentrum 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.

Lamps in the movies!
Louis de Funès movies
Oscar (1967)

The Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp was used as a prop in the Edouard Molinaro comedy film Oscar from 1967. A movie with French comedy actor Louis de Funès (1914-1983). Lamps by Raak, Artemide, Maison Jansen, and many other producers appear in this film.

Raak Fuga Wall Lamp in the film Oscar from 1967 with Louis de Funès

Le Gendarme Se Marie (1968)

The Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp appears in the 1968 Louis de Funès film Le Gendarme Se Marie (The Gendarme Gets Married) starring Louis de Funès, Geneviève Grad as his daughter and Claude Gensac as his future wife Josépha Cruchot.

Le Gendarme Se Marie - The Gendarme Gets Married - Raak Fuga Wall Lamp - 1968

Le Tatoué (1968)

The Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp appears in the 1968 Louis de Funès film Le Tatoué (The Tattoo) starring Louis de Funès, Jean Gabin and Paul Mercey.

Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp used as a prop in the 1968 film Le Tatoué

L’ Homme Orchestre (1971)

The Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp was also used as a prop in the 1970 French comedy film L’ Homme Orchestre (The Band). Starring Louis de FunèsNoëlle Adam and Olivier de Funès. Several other lamps appear in this film.

Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp used as a prop in the 1970 film L'Homme Orchestre

Jo (1971)

The Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp was used as a prop in the Jean Girault movie Jo from 1971.  It is also known in English as Joe: The Busy Body or The Gazebo. A movie with the famous French comedy actor Louis de Funès (1914-1983). Also Cassiopée chandeliers made by Max Sauze and Lita wall lamps by Jacques Biny appear in this comedy. A Pan wall lamp designed by Bent Karlby for Lyfa is also present.

Jo - 1971, Louis de Funès - Raak Fuga Wall Lamp

Lamps in the movies – Other films
Ballon (2018)

The Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp was used as a prop in the German film Ballon from 2018. A movie about two families from the GDR who flew to West Germany with a homemade hot-air balloon in 1979. It was used in an East German house what is very unlikely at that time. Raak was a Dutch lighting company and the East was communist and had his own lighting firms, cars, motorcycles and so on. Everything that was sold came from behind the Iron Curtain. Here together with the Staff Oyster wall lamp, what is also unlikely, because that is a West German lamp. 

The Staff Oyster wall lamp was used as a prop in the film Ballon from 2018

High-Rise (2015)

Several big versions of the Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp were used as a prop in the British dystopian horror film High-Rise from 2015. Starring Tom HiddlestonJeremy Irons and Sienna Miller. Many lamps appear in this film. You can find the others over here.

Big Raak Fuga wall lamps were used as a prop in the 2015 film High-Rise

The Art Of The Steal (2013)

2 single Raak Fuga wall lamps were used as a prop in the 2013 Canadian comedy film The Art Of The Steal. Starring Kurt Russell, Jay Baruchel and Katheryn Winnick. The metal wall mount of this couple lamps is not original. Lamps made by the Canadian Rougier, Reggiani, FLOS, AV Mazzega and Quality System appear in this film. A Fuga wall lamp made of 3 tubes is also featured in the film.

Raak Fuga aluminium wall lamp prop 2013 film The Art Of The Steal

Prototype

Raak Fuga Wall Lamp prototype

A prototype made of copper and wood can be found on the 1stdibs website: One of a kind prototype of the “Fuga” sconce for the firm Raak