Van Haute Copper Diabolo Desk Lamp
Materials: Black painted round cast iron base, painted with wrinkle paint. Long brass gooseneck. Copper diabolo lampshade, painted white inside. Copper ornamental nut on top. Brass E27 socket with a porcelain ring.
Height: 50 cm / 19.68” – adjustable
Lampshade: ∅ 21,5 cm / 8.46”
Base: ∅ 16 cm / 6.29”
Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 75 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.
Period: 1950s, 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: To be appraised.
Manufacturer: Van Haute, Molenbeekstraat 79, Brussels, Belgium.
Other versions: This Van Haute copper diabolo desk lamp was also made with an aluminium (sometimes perforated on the top) lampshade and exists in several colours. Also produced with a curved chrome rod instead of a gooseneck. The flattened cast iron base was used for several other lamps.
Often said that the diabolo lampshade is a design by Louis Kalff (Philips), but those are false assumptions.
Van Haute
VH or Van Haute is a lighting company from Brussels, Belgium. Van Haute had a factories in Brussels and in Aalst, some 25 km / 15 mi from each other. The company no longer exists. It probably ended business in the 70s. The old building of the company in Aalst still remains.
In the 1950s Van Haute mainly produced lighting with fluorescence tubes.
Van Haute produced many lamps in the style of others. For instance, the pendant lamp, here in blue and green with a circular fluorescence light bulb is almost always sold as a Louis Kalff design for Philips. The slits are reminiscent of a Louis Kalff design for Philips, hence the confusion.
Diabolo
Diabolo is the name given to the shape of the lampshade. The diabolo lampshades were very popular in the 1950s. You can find several examples on Vintageinfo.
The diabolo, some yo-yo, has its origin in China. It’s a double-coned bobbin that can be twirled, tossed, and caught on a string secured by two sticks, one held in each hand. The first diabolo’s were made of bamboo and they made some whistling sound.
In the eighteenth century, the diabolo became known in England and France. The term “diabolo” was made up by French engineer Gustave Phillippart, who developed the modern diabolo in the early twentieth century and he was re-released. Since then, he has been widespread.
BJB
The socket of this desk lamp 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.
VLM Components
All the other electric parts were made by VLM Components. VLM Components was founded in 1945 in Buccinasco, a small village near Milan, Italy. VLM Components is part of the Relco Group, founded in 1967. Today they are the owners of the brands Relco, Leuci, Relco Lighting, VLM Components and Segno. VLM Components became famous for the switches they produce which were designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1968.