nelson saucer wall sconce
Design George Nelson,
1952
Steel skeleton, self-webbing soft plastic, solid walnut, nickel
The Nelson Bubble Lamps are an assortment of lamps in various spherical silhouettes that emit a soft, even quality of light. The Nelson Saucer Wall Sconce comes with a solid walnut wall-mount and a steel arm, and 12-foot plug-in cord. Its design allows one to adjust the sconce from left to right, and up and down, without needing to reposition it on the wall. George Nelson first designed the Bubble Lamps in 1952 when he came across a Swedish hanging lamp that he wanted to acquire for his office. He was challenged by the expensive price and decided to make his own. The result was a series of lamps with elemental, spherical shapes like a rounded apple, an elongated cigar, and a shapely pear, among others.
445W*445D*178H
George Nelson (1908–1986) was an American industrial designer, and one of the founders of American Modernism. While Director of Design for the Herman Miller furniture company, both Nelson, and his design studio, George Nelson Associates, Inc., designed much of the 20th century's most iconic modernist furniture. George Nelson attended Yale University, not originally intending become an architect. He happened upon the architecture school while ducking into the building to get out of the rain, and was impressed by an exhibition inside. He graduated with a degree in architecture in 1928. During his final year at Yale, Nelson was hired by the architecture firm Adams and Prentice as a drafter.
Herman Miller was a West Michigan businessman who helped his son-in-law, D.J. De Pree, buy the Michigan Star Furniture Company in 1923. De Pree had been working at the company, which opened in 1905, since he was hired in 1909 as a clerk. De Pree knew his father-in-law was a man of integrity, so he decided to rename the company after him. By the middle of the 20th century, the name Herman Miller had become synonymous with “modern” furniture. Working with legendary designers George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames, the company produced pieces that would become classics of industrial design.