Vilhelm Wohlert Mushroom Wall Lamps, Denmark, 1957

Pair of really neat wall lamps designed by Vilhelm Wohlert in 1957, each with a curved Oregon pine bracket that cantilevers from the wall. A slim brass stem rises through the bracket and carries a Le Klint pleated paper shade in a flattened, UFO-like form. So cool, so space-age, yet made of earthly materials. The warm, red-toned grain of the pine against the soft white pleats and brass makes for a sculptural pairing. Plug-in, so no hardwiring is needed - they can be mounted wherever there’s an outlet. I love the practicality! 9.5" W x 10.5" D x 10.75" H Original shades, some dust and bends, overall impression is good. Sold as a pair. Vilhelm Wohlert was an architect who never chased the spotlight, even though he co-designed one of the most beloved museums in the world. With his partner Jørgen Bo, he spent more than 30 years building and expanding the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art north of Copenhagen, a place where galleries drift through gardens and glass walls open onto the sea. Trained in the Danish tradition of honest materials and quiet craft, he carried that sensibility into everything he touched, including lamps. This pair, with warm pine brackets, pleated paper and a thread of brass, has the same spirit in miniature: nothing showy, everything considered.