An iconic early example of American modernist lighting, this 1930 table lamp by Walter von Nessen features a bold cylindrical body supporting a striking arrangement of four stacked aluminum discs. Each disc radiates outward from the central column, creating a floating, layered silhouette that diffuses light horizontally. Both the upper and lower portion of the lamp illuminate and can be controllled separately. The lamp’s pioneering use of industrial materials and pure geometric forms strongly influenced the development of Streamline Moderne lighting throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

Image Courtesy: House & Garden

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