Vanilla Eyeball Desk Lamp
Prova Desk Lamp
Neweba Desk Lamp
Neweba
The Neweba brand still exists and was founded in 1945. An unfinished WordPress website has been online since 2018. Unfortunately, there’s little to see there in 2025.
A few years earlier, this company description appeared:
Neweba is a brand of GO4LIGHT AG. The Swiss company results from the merger of Neweba AG and Studio Lumess AG and benefits from over 60 years of experience in the development and manufacturing of modern decorative lighting. The product range comprises own developments and lights which are designed from Swiss and international designers exclusively for GO4LIGHT. The different lighting collections cover a variety of styles and are distributed under distinctive brands.
BHS
British Home Stores was a British department store chain, primarily selling clothing and household items. The company was founded in 1928. The company went bankrupt in 2016. The Qatari Al Mana Group purchased BHS and formed a new business, BHS International (UK) Limited, based in London. It launched a new website: bhs.com.
Links (external links open in a new window)
History of Brilliant on their website
Massive – Wikipedia (in Dutch)
Vintageinfo
Vanilla Eyeball Desk Lamp
Materials: Vanilla-cream painted flat round metal (iron) base. Thin chrome rod. Adjustable vanilla painted iron eyeball, globe lampshade. Black painted iron parts. Some black plastic parts and ornamental screw. Bakelite E14 socket.
Height: 40,5 cm / 15.94”
Eyeball: ∅ 11 cm / 4.33”
Base: ∅ 16,5 cm / 6.49”
Electricity: 1 bulb E14, 1 x 40 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred. For this setup a spotlight was used.
Period: 1970s, 1980s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: To be appraised.
Manufacturer: Brilliant AG, Brilliantstraße 1, D-27442 Gnarrenburg, Germany.
Other versions: This Vanilla eyeball desk lamp exists in several colours and models, but all made with the same flat base. Made for many years, this one is from the 1980s.
Produced by Brilliant Leuchten, but sold by several companies in Europe. At least sold by Massive, Belgium, BHS, United Kingdom, Neweba, Switzerland and in all probability also sold by Fase from Spain. Al these companies sold many lamps by Brilliant AG.
Brilliant
Brilliant AG was founded in 1951 as Brillantglashütte oHG / Lippold and Tschammer in Gnarrenburg, Germany as a glass making company. In 1953, the glass-works started to produce bar pendant bowls out of glass. These lamp fittings were the first step towards the exclusive production of lighting fixtures.
In 1970, the facility for industrial glass had to be sold in order to create more space. At the end of the 70s, the name Brillantglashütte KG had been changed into Brillantleuchten AG. In 1991, the company name was changed for the last time. The German word “leuchten” (lights) has been deleted and a second “i” has been added to the final version Brilliant AG.
In 2000, the American Sli Inc. became the new main shareholder. Since 2004, the British “The National Lighting Company” has been the new main shareholder of Brilliant AG.
VLM Components
The electric parts were produced by VLM Components in the 1980s. VLM Components was founded in 1945 in Buccinasco, a small village near Milan, Italy. VLM is part of the Relco Group, founded in 1967. Today they are the owners of the brands Relco, Leuci, Relco Lighting, VLM and Segno. The company is famous for the switches they produced that were designed by Achille Castiglioni.
The flat base is reminiscent of the Coupe and Spider table lamp Joe Colombo designed for Oluce in 1964.
Massive
Origins and Early Growth (1926–1970s)
Massive started in 1926, when Pieter-Jozef De Jaeck founded a bronze foundry in Wilrijk, near Antwerp, Belgium. Initially, the company crafted traditional bronze items such as candlesticks, crucifixes, and chandeliers in-house using established casting methods.
However, as the market evolved during the 1930s and 1940s, Massive quickly adapted to meet changing consumer needs. Therefore, the company gradually introduced more functional lighting products for households. After World War II, electric lighting became more popular across Europe.
Consequently, Massive began combining classic design with modern electrical technology. This strategic shift enabled the brand to reach new customers and grow steadily.
By the 1950s, Massive had earned a solid reputation across Belgium. Its lighting fixtures – often inspired by mid-century trends – were both affordable and practical. Moreover, they were widely available in hardware and furniture stores. As a result, they became a staple in many homes.
In the 1960s, Eddy De Jaeck, the founder’s son, joined the company. He introduced semi-industrial production techniques and optimized logistics. As a result, Massive shifted from a craft-based workshop to a mass production business. This major change laid the groundwork for international expansion.
Design Approach and Product Strategy
Massive became known for producing lighting in the style of more exclusive brands. While they didn’t make direct copies, many of their designs were clearly “inspired” by well-known models. Nevertheless, the company also released some original highlights that stood out in their own right.
In addition to their own production, Massive distributed a significant number of lamps made by other manufacturers. This strategy was not unusual at the time. Many lighting companies across Europe followed the same practice to broaden their product range and appeal to a wider market.
International Expansion and Market Leadership (1970s–2000s)
During the 1970s, Massive expanded rapidly. With Eddy De Jaeck at the helm, and later his sons Piet and Jan De Jaeck, the company grew into a multinational enterprise. To stay affordable and increase volume, Massive moved production to Eastern Europe. Later, it extended manufacturing to China. This deliberate strategy helped the brand stay competitive in a changing market.
By the 1980s, Massive had become one of the top lighting brands in Europe. Its catalog included thousands of options for both indoor and outdoor use. Furthermore, the brand balanced style, affordability, and reliability. Because of this, it gained popularity in both Western and Eastern Europe.
In the Netherlands, Massive began operations in 1962. In addition, the company opened Massive Gorinchem in 1969. This location served as the Dutch headquarters for more than 40 years. Eventually, in late 2012, it relocated to Eindhoven.
Ownership Changes and the Philips Takeover (2002–2010)
In 2002, the De Jaeck family sold Massive to CVC Capital Partners for about €250 million. This move transformed the company into part of the new group, Partners in Lighting International (PLI).
Over the next years, PLI expanded quickly. For example, in 2005, the group acquired Modular Lighting Instruments. Then, in 2006, it added Trio Leuchten from Germany. As a result, PLI marketed over 10,000 products under brands like Massive, Lirio, Trio, Aqua, and Cucina.
The company grew further by employing about 5,000 people and operating in more than 70 countries. In 2007, Royal Philips Electronics announced plans to acquire PLI. The deal closed in 2008, which strengthened Philips‘ position in the European home lighting market.
Soon afterward, Philips rebranded all Massive stores in Belgium as Light Gallery. By 2014, the Massive name had vanished from packaging and store displays alike.
The End of an Era and the Move to Signify (2010–2024)
After the acquisition, Massive‘s visibility declined steadily. In 2016, Philips Lighting became a separate, publicly traded company. Then, in 2018, the company rebranded as Signify. This new identity marked a fresh focus on smart and connected lighting.
Eventually, in April 2024, Signify shut down the Light Gallery website and redirected all content to its main platform. Although the Massive name no longer appears in stores, its legacy lives on. Millions of homes throughout Europe still feature its recognizable and timeless lighting designs.