Pair of 1950s Yki Nummi Red Table Lamps for Orno

Pair of 1950s Yki Nummi red table lamps for Orno, Finland. Executed in red and black painted metal and chrome. Manufacturer's stamp in metal. A striking yet minimalistic pair of table lamps designed by Nummi in the early 1950s. The shades can be adjusted up or down.

Price is for the pair. Also available in a slightly larger pair as well as a smaller single lamp.

Professionally rewired with black cloth cord, new medium base socket, period style in-line on/off switch and US wall plug. Lamp can accommodate a single 75 watt max bulb (lower with incandescent). Not UL listed, but recommended UL listing available from authorized 3rd party vendor upon request for an additional fee. Please contact dealer to facilitate.

Yki Nummi (1925-1984) is considered one of the most remarkable midcentury Scandinavian designers. He worked as lighting designer for the Finnish Stockmann-Orno Luminaire factory from 1950-1975 and designed hundreds of light fixtures during this period. Nummi’s best-known luminaires are the Modern Art table lamp and the Lokki pendant lamp, also known as “The Flying Saucer”. Nummi first studied mathematics and physics at university after World War Two. Afterward, he took a degree in decorative painting at the Institute of Applied Arts in Helsinki in 1950. Based on his education, Nummi had a firm theoretical foundation, especially in the relationship of light and color.

Yki Nummi was a Pioneer in his field particularly when it came to designing acrylic lamps. As a new material at the beginning of the 20th century, acrylic brought countless new possibilities to the design of lamps. In fact, Nummi used plastic quite without preconceptions. In his view, the interesting features of acrylic were its molding capability, homogeneous nature and a better impact strength than that of glass. In addition to designing lighting, Nummi was an expert in color schemes and design. Between 1958 and 1975, Nummi worked at Schildt & Hallberg’s Tikkurila paint factory as head of the factory’s design and planning department and participated in R & D for the new paint mixing system that produced innovative color charts. Yki Nummi participated in a large number of exhibitions and trade fairs. He was awarded gold medals for his works at the Milan Triennials of 1954 and 1957.