Erpé Model 52 Art Deco “Aviator” desk lamp with integrated pen tray & ashtray base — Belgium, 1930s
Erpé Model 52 Art Deco “Aviator” desk lamp with integrated pen tray & ashtray base — Belgium, 1930s A true icon of Belgian industrial design, this Erpé Model 52 desk lamp is instantly recognizable for its sculptural, aerodynamic silhouette — often nicknamed the “notary” or “banker’s lamp” for its ubiquitous presence on interwar office desks. The design was so influential in its day that it was licensed and reproduced under other names across Europe, including Niam in France and Horax in Frankfurt, and an example is held in the permanent collection of Design Museum Gent. What sets this piece apart is its multi-functional stepped base, cast with a graduated, fan-like ridge that doubles as a pen holder and ashtray — a hallmark of the practical, no-waste design ethos of the era, where every surface served a purpose. The gently curved, hood-shaped shade swivels on a distinctive reeded/fluted neck secured with two visible screws, casting light downward while concealing the bulb from view — pure functionalist elegance. A vintage slide switch, marked “ON,” sits flush within the fluted stem for unobtrusive, tactile operation. Cast in a warm, aged pewter-bronze tone with a rich, dark patina throughout, this lamp carries the honest wear of nearly a century of use — small surface marks and a fine hairline to the shade only add to its authenticity as a genuine period piece, not a reproduction. It retains its original wiring cord and fittings. Erpé, active in Belgium in the 1920s–30s (produced by Ritzen & Penners), was among the most prolific and respected Belgian manufacturers of Art Deco and early functionalist lighting, sold widely to legal offices, banks, and notaries throughout the Low Countries and beyond. Owning a Model 52 today means owning a piece of design history that helped define an entire era’s visual language of the modern desk. Dimensions: H 33 x W 22 x D 17 cm / H 13 x W 8.7 x D 6.7 in Colors may slightly vary due to photographic lighting sources or your monitor settings. Wear consistent with age and use. We ship worldwide. Request a shipping quote by e-mail to tacojoustra@vintageobjects.com mentioning the piece you are interested in. The table lamp will be shipped insured overseas. Cost of insured transport to the US is Euro 275.