A beautiful ceiling lamp by Paavo Tynell aka as the cannon shell due to the high resemblance. Sleek and minimalist, it combines the brass center with opaline glass shade allowing th light to go through and also up to reflect off the ceiling. A real beauty.
The "Cannon shell" model ceiling lamp was produced in a number of different varieties, 9045,9052,9053, 9055 and so on. This one is 9053 (stamped Idman 9053). The glass shades also came in a number of different varieties. This is the original 1950s shade.
This model lamp can be used in living rooms , hallways and so forth. It is simple yet very elegant. The metal parts are all original as well. Even the electricity is original, and in good working condition.
The overall condition is quite good, considering the age and so on. It was taken staright down from the roof of the previous owner to our studios. Small roughness (can't even be called chip) is on the inner part of the shade. Unnoticable. (Please see photo).
We also happen to have the bigger versions of this lamp on 1stdibs as well. So here is a chance of purchasing both, the 40 and 60 cm versions of these master pieces of design.
Paavo Tynell (1890–1973) was a Finnish designer who is well renowned around the world for his incredible lighting fixtures and lamps. Tynell is known as the man who “illuminated Finland” and his works can be found in numerous public offices and buildings such as the Finnish Parliament House and the office of Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York.
Tynell started as a sheet metal worker´s apprentice at G.W.Sohlbergs workshop in 1906. After that he moved to Taidetakomo Koru Oy in 1912, which was a metal workshop specializing in electric light fixtures. Then Paavo studied at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki and after that he taught in it too. Paavo then founded Taito Oy in 1918 with a number of colleagues. Taito produced a number of other items other than just light fixtures in the early years, however the main focus became lamps after Finland adopted the use of electricity. By the 1930s Finnish households started buying light fixtures as the use of electricity became more common. In the 1920s Taito`s main sales were still mostly public commissions, for example the Paimio Sanatorium which was designed by Alvar aalto.
After WW2 and the quite challenging shortage years in Finland, Tynell finally had his major breakthrough. His style became quite distinctive and was mainly aimed at the U.S. markets. He sold both catalogue lamps as well as commissioned works through Finland House in N.Y. Although his late 1940s-1950s style was widely criticized at first in Finland, he stuck to it, and luckily so. It wasn´t long before his lamp fixtures became Finland House´s best selling product. Nowadays Tynells high end lamps fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars worldwide, and deservingly so. His commisioned lamps number in the thousands, and unfortunately not all documents or archive materials are intact
