Pair o Rare Brass Wall Lamps by Gunnel Nyman

Love, love, love these enchanting wall lamps, attributed to Gunnel Nyman in the late 1930s–early 1940s. Small in scale but wonderfully expressive on the wall, each has a curved brass arm supporting an opaline glass shade with delicate horizontal bands. I really appreciate the way the geometry of the shade plays against the floral details of the brass fixture - perfectly imperfect, and very Finnish.

The fixture is Stockmann no. 440, paired with an Idman shade, no. 1475. I’m especially intrigued that these shades were personally selected to complement the fixtures - a lovely example of the flexible, human-scaled approach to lighting that made Finnish design of the 20th Century so very special. Grab a charming little bit of Finnish design history that look absolutely stunning on the wall.

(sold as a pair)

Overall Approximately 10.5" H x 7" D, Glass Shade is nearly 6" H x 5" diameter. Good condition, warm brass patina, one lamp has a small flaw on the floral detail.

Artist: Gunnel Nyman (Finland, 1909-1948): The quality of light as embodied in glass was a major interest for Nyman. She was also fascinated by the instantaneous solidification of the liquid glass mass. She considered material an essential factor in design; form, proportion, and decoration were only there to enhance the properties inherent in the material. Trained as a furniture designer, Nyman also created metalwork for ecclesiastical use as well as lighting, most notably for Helsinki's Swedish Theater, which she designed in collaboration with the Taito OY metalsmiths in 1935 when the richly decorated facade of the building was replaced with a new functionalist design by Eero Saarinen & Jarl Eklund.
Although Gunnel Nyman's career was cut short by an untimely death, she had time enough to give a new direction to Finnish design. Her work foreshadowed the work of the Finnish design throughout the 1950s and 60s.