Raak Oval Ceiling Lamp B-1069 –Vintageinfo

Raak oval ceiling lamp B-1069 flush mount opal glass lampshade black metal conical tube 1950s 1960s

The glass of the Raak oval ceiling lamp B-1069 was also used for a pendant chandelier – catalogue picture.

The Raak oval ceiling lamp B-1069 as a pendant lamp – 1962 catalogue picture.

Raak Oval Ceiling Lamp B-1069

Materials: Black metal conical ceiling mount made of an aluminium tube and iron parts. White opal hand blown round oval frosted glass lampshade. Bakelite E27 socket.

Height: 31 cm / 12.20”

Width: ∅ 32 cm / 12.59”

Base: ∅ 9 cm / 3.54”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 100 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb with an E27 screw base can be used. Preferably a white/opaque or frosted bulb.

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

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Raak Lichtarchitectuur, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Other versions: This Raak oval ceiling lamp B-1069 or flush mount exists in different forms. It was also used for pendant lamps and pendant chandeliers.

The glass for this lamp was in all probability produced by Peil + Putzler or Bega. Both companies are glass and lamp producers from Germany. They produced glass parts for Raak and several other companies. Raak had no glass furnace.

Raak

The Dutch company Raak 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.

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 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). Lichtarchitectuur (light architecture) was the Raak tagline from the beginning in the 1950s. The Centre for Lighting Architecture was founded by Egbert Keen. The company was declared bankrupt on 19-05-2011.