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Uchiwa Fan Table Lamp

Materials: Round base, made of bamboo and wood. Cardboard on the bottom of the base. Bamboo braided leaves. White painted metal slat. White painted Bakelite socket.

Height: 54 cm / 21.25”

Width: 31 cm / 12.20”

Base: ∅ 13,5 cm / 5.31”

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

Period: 1970s, 1980s.

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: To be appraised.

Other versions: It is unknown if this Uchiwa fan table lamp was made in several versions.

It is possible that this Uchiwa fan table lamp is a production of the Belgian lighting company Massive. They are notorious for the copies of lamps that they produced.

Uchiwa is the Japanese word for fan and it is a traditional Japanese fan. Originally these fans were made from big leaves and animal hair. The oldest fans can be seen in the records of ancient China, as well as the wall paintings of Ancient Egypt.

The Uchiwa lamp was made popular in the seventies by the German designer Ingo Maurer (1932 – 2019), who designed wall lights, table lamps, chandeliers and floor lamps in this style for his company Design M, which he founded in 1963. Later the name of his company was changed in Ingo Maurer GmbH. This table lamp is from the same period.

Two Uchiwa wall lamps appear in the book Vorbildlich Wohnen 6 – 1980  (perfect living) from the German furniture manufacturer Hülsta.

Ingo Maurer Uchiwa Wall Lamp, Design M, Hülsta, Vorbildlich Wohnen 6, 1980, bamboo, wood, 1970s MCM

Antique Japan Fan Hanging Lantern Bamboo & Paper Uchiwa