It’s not often that a brand reaches its 150th anniversary, so when they do you can expect them to celebrate in style, and that’s exactly what legendary Danish lighting company Louis Poulsen are doing.
Established in 1874 by Ludvig Raymond Poulsen, and originally a wine importing business, it was in 1906 that his nephew Louis Poulsen took over what had already become a successful lighting suppliers thanks to the arrival of electricity in the city.
While today Louis Poulsen is synonymous with luxury lighting, the brand was in fact conceived at a time when well-designed products were seen as a way to improve everyone’s everyday lives. Functional, affordable, as well as made to the highest quality, it’s said that by 1925 one in five Danish households had a PH 5 pendant in their home.
So, to mark a staggering fifteen decades in business, as well as honouring their heritage and setting an example for future generations still to come, Louis Poulsen are marking this major milestone with the launch of a very special Anniversary Collection.
First showcased at this year’s 3 Days of Design festival, the five limited editions all have a Pale Rose colour on the inside of their shades and are finished with sophisticated brass details. Here’s more about these unique and collectable pieces:
PH Artichoke
First designed in 1958 for the Langelinie Pavilion restaurant in Copenhagen, where it still hangs today, Poul Henningsen’s historic pendant consists of 72 thin metal sheets which spread around the lamp’s steel frame and open up like the leaves of an artichoke, and with only 300 pieces of this product to be produced, each one is engraved with a unique ID number too.
PH 5
In addition to the beloved Artichoke, Poul Henningsen is also known for the PH 5 pendant. Originally fitted with red and blue shades to improve the colour of the light, this elegant and innovative light takes its name from the main shade’s 50-centimetre diameter.
Panthella 160
Originally designed in 1971, the Panthella has become one of Verner Panton’s most instantly recognised designs. Now available as a petite portable, and super easy to recharge, thanks to a USB port, it’s perfect for using both around the home or out on the patio.
PH Snowball
First exhibited in 1958 at the Danish Museum of Decorative Art, now known as Design Museum Denmark in an exhibition called ‘Glass, Light and Colour’, it’s hard to believe that the PH Snowball, with its glare-free diffused light it was only reintroduced by Louis Poulsen in 1983.
AJ Mini
Originally designed for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in 1957, the AJ Lamp is among Arne Jacobsen’s most significant lighting designs. Originally part of a larger product family, which included a floor lamp, a wall lamp, and three different types of table lamp, its soft cone shade shields the light meaning its timeless good looks are both practical and pretty.
All images courtesy of Louis Poulsen.
To find out more about Louise Poulsen, or to shop the Anniversary Collection, visit the Louis Poulsen website.
Alternatively, to also mark the anniversary a special coffee table book, ‘Louis Poulsen: First House of Light’ has also been released in conjunction with publishers Phaidon.
Enjoyed reading this post? Then find out more about Danish lighting brand, Nuura and my chat with their Co-Founder and Creative Director, Sofie Refer.
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