A recent visit to London’s new Design Museum on Kensington High Street (London) Design Museum in London and there is a brief sigh as I realise just how important British designers have been to the world we live in.
On the upper floor of the Museum there’s a “designs wall” featuring a myriad of the finest designs from around the world – Levi 501’s – Levi 501’s – the Burberry raincoat – Burberry Trench Coat – Converse – Converse – Chuck Taylor All Star . But both on the wall and inside the the “Designer Maker User” – the permanent exhibition – the impact of British designers is comprehensively celebrated.
By way of example, on the wall – top right – you’ll see the iconic Anglepoise lamp.
The original Original 1227 Anglepoise – a balanced-arm lamp – was designed and patented on 4th July 1932 by George Carwardine, a British automotive engineer.
The 1227 Angelpoise was first sold in 1935.
Carwardine designed vehicle suspension systems and the sprung and jointed elements of the Anglepoise are understood to have derived from his earlier work.
Carwardine’s production partner, Terry Spring Company, devoted much of its production during the Second World War to the war effort equipping bombers with the lamps. The lamp fast became a British design classic and continues to be marketed and sold today.
The classic Anglepoise lamp has been re-imagined by Sir Kenneth Grange, the industrial product designer, and contemporary designers, Margaret Howell and Paul Smith, each of whom has extended the collection of the iconic Anglepoise lamp to reflecting its beauty and versatility.
Paul Smith’s versions – they really are very beautiful – of the Anglepoise lamp are shown in the London Design Museum and are available for sale at their two retail outlets, one within the Museum itself and a second fronting onto Kensington High Street.
Featured Image by Anglepoise
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