RZB Leuchten Acrylic Wall Lamps

Materials: White curved & ribbed acrylic lampshade. Black acrylic wall mount. Folded brass slat. Galvanised metal E27 socket.

Height: 28 cm / 11.02”

Width: 15 cm / 5.90”

Wall Mount: 13 x 8 cm / 5.11 x 3.14”

Depth: 11 cm / 4.33”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred. For this setup a frosted bulb was used.

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

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: RZB, Rudolf Zimmermann Bamberg GmbH, Rheinstraße 16, 96052 Bamberg, Germany. 

Other versions: These RZB Leuchten acrylic wall lamps were probably made in several versions. They are all made in acrylic or an early type of plastic such as Rotaflex or cellulose acetate. It is hard tot tell if these RZB lamps are in one of those materials.

The Rotaflex plastic type was invented by Rotaflex together with the French company A.R.P. – L’ Atelier de Recherche Plastique (Plastic Research Workshop).

RZB, Rudolf Zimmermann Bamberg GmbH

RZB Leuchten was founded by Rudolf Zimmermann in Bamberg Germany at the beginning of World War II, in 1939. Initially the company manufactured circuit breakers, fuses and junction boxes components as well as porcelain luminaires.

Production of all-glass luminaires begins in 1948. At the same time the export to other countries takes a start. The introduction of RZB’s pioneering rapid attachment system for all-glass luminaires, known as DKN system, a push and tilt system has started in 1960.

In the years that follow the RZB family business continues to expand. In 1987 RZB begins partnering with the famous Italian light company Reggiani S. p. A. of Monza and Rome in the field of low-voltage luminaires. The cooperation ended in 2007.

Today RZB is specialized in indoor- and outdoor-lighting, emergency lighting and light management systems.

RZB Leuchten received 14 iF Design Awards between 1989 and 2017. In total the company received more than 44 international design awards: Red dot design, Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutschand (German Design Award) and 5 Good Design awards (Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design).

Designers that worked for RZB are: Klaus Nolting, Helmut Heinrich, Hartmut S. Engel, Ralph Michel and so on.

The complete history of the company can be found on their website.

Cellulose acetate

Cellulose acetate is an early acrylic, sold under the trade names Rhodoid in France and Great Britain, Tenite in the USA and Cellon in Germany. It was first prepared in 1865. Cellulose acetate is used as a film base in photography, for eyeglasses, cigarette filters and playing cards.

Acrylic

Acrylic: often named by its commercial name: Perspex, Plexiglas, Crylux, Acrylite, Lucite, is a thermoplastic.

BJB

The socket of these wall lamps was made by BJB. BJB is Brökelmann, Jäger and Busse, BJB GmbH & Co. KG. The BJB company was founded in 1867 and started with petroleum lighting. The company still exists. Today they produce LED lamps, terminal blocks and connectors, lamp holders for conventional lighting and switches. They are active in the whole world. BJB GmbH & Co. KG is located on Werler Strasse 1, 59755, Arnsberg, Germany.