Raak Fuga Aluminium Wall Lamp –Vintage Info

Text in Dutch from the original catalogue

Fuga – een metalen compositie van Maija Liisa Komulainen, architecte uit Finland en enthousiast teamlid van de raak ontwerpgroep. Rijzige orgelpijpen in blank metaal, desgewenst gerangschikt tot een strak front in meerdere versies. Een ontwerp afgestemd op elke ruimte: van ontvangsthal tot woonkamer. Van restaurant tot schouwburg.
C-1639/40 – drielichts, hoogte 40 cm, breedte 21 cm, koperkleurig of blank lichtmetaal.

Mysterieus straalt het licht terwijl de lichtbron onzichtbaar blijft uit deze strakgelijnde cilinders.

Hoogte 40 of 60 cm, in blank geanodiseerd lichtmetaal of warmglanzende koperkleur.

Fraai als enkeling, fascinerend als meerlichtscombinatie.

Translated text

Fuga – a metal composition by Maija Liisa Komulainen, architect of Finland and enthusiastic team member of the touch design group. Rear organ pipes in white metal, if desired, arranged for a tight front in multiple versions. A design tailored to every room: from the lobby to the living room. From restaurant to theater.
C-1639/40 – triple light, height 40 cm, width 21 cm, copper or white light metal.

Mysteriously shines the light while the light source remains invisible from these straight-line cylinders.

Height 40 or 60 cm, in anodised anodised light metal or warm-glossy copper color.

Beautiful as single, fascinating as multi-purpose combination.

Numbers used for these lamps and parts: C-1629 C-1639 C-1630 C-1632 C-1633 C-1634.

Pricing in Dutch gulden in January 1973 (x 2 for euro and dollar), the 1st number (48, 135,129,4,47) is the page in the folder. The last number is the price with taxes.

A prototype made of moulded copper and wood can be found on the 1stdibs website: One of a Kind Prototype of the “Fuga” Sconce for the Firm Raak

Raak Fuga Wall Lamp

Materials: Brushed anodized aluminium, white painted inside. Black painted iron wall frame. Porcelain 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 – 1980s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Maija Liisa Komulainen.

Manufacturer: Raak, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Other versions: Also made in copper coloured 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, never connected with others.

Maija Liisa Komulainen

These wonderful wall lamps were 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 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.

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 Night Club and Stalactites lamps 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 colors white, black and gray 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 (Center for Light Architecture). The Center for Lighting Architecture was founded by Egbert Keen. The company was declared bankrupt on 19-05-2011.

Raak Fuga wall lamps in the movies

The Fuga wall lamp was used as a prop 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 – Trailer

Le Gendarme Se Marie – Full Movie

The Raak Fuga Wall Lamp was used as a prop in the French film Le Corps De Mon Ennemi (Body of my enemy) from 1976 with Jean-Paul Belmondo. Many Raak lamps together with Stilnovo and Harvey Guzzini lamps appear in this movie.

The Raak Fuga 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.

The Raak Fuga Wall Lamp was also 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 so on.