Holger Johansson Chandeliers with 12 Smoked Glass Shades for Westal, Sweden 1970s
Holger Johansson Chandeliers with 12 Smoked Glass Shades for Westal, Sweden 1970s
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Price category: 15,000 - 20,000 usd / eur
This marvellous pair of chandeliers is a rarity from Swedish designer, Holger Johansson, who created them for his own company, Westal. With a brass frame holding 12 translucent bubble glass shades, grandiose and stylish are the words to describe these models by.
Each chandelier has a brass frame consisting of a long, straight brass pole holding 12 shades arranged on three levels; three on the top and bottom, and six on the middle level. This airy arrangement allows the glass spheres to stand out without making the design look cluttered. The shades each sit at the end of a curved brass pole and face upwards unlike most other models from Johansson, making this particular model stand out in the designer’s impressive repertoire. Thanks to the arrangement of the brass poles and bulbs, the chandeliers divide the light over three levels, illuminating their surroundings in golden light. When switched on, the light coming from the shades brighten the yellow brass and highlight the glass bubbles beautifully. Commonly associated with old glass, the modern bubble glass techniques consist of intentionally creating bubbles for artistic effect. Controlled bubble glass as seen here, also known as “Bolle” or “Bullicante”, is glass that’s embedded with bubbles. The chandeliers’ manufacturer, the Swedish company Westal, is a historic company founded by Holger Johansson in 1947, the same year the first TV test broadcast happened in Sweden. These chandeliers have all the characteristics Johansson was famous for: they are elegant and stylish and while the design allows them to be big and shiny, they never become tacky.
The best qualities of Swedish mid-century designers’ light fixtures are most often their atmospheric light, disciplined, functionalist design completed by unique solutions and design elements. Exemplified by these chandeliers, these qualities are not only timeless, but also ever so eye-catching.
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The brass has some minor marks and scratches.
Dimensions:
29.13 in W x 27.95 in D x 56.1 in H
74 cm W x 71 cm D x 142.5 cm H