Gallery of Atelier in Hakushima / Yutaka Yoshida Architect & Associates

The System PH was developed to provide efficient, more pleasant and completely glare-free lighting in people’s homes, when electric light began to replace candle chandeliers and kerosene lamps in the late 1920s. Even so, it was commerce and public administration that first took a liking to the highly functional and ultramodern looking PH lamp. Instead, the preferred lamp above the dinner table in most homes remained the chandelier, now electric and equipped with silken shades. Poul Henningsen wanted to show people that with his reflective three-shade system, they could have the cosy atmosphere they were familiar with from the glow of the kerosene lamp without having to compromise on the quality of lighting. Many, on the other hand, longed for a warmer and more comfortable light than the light bulbs could provide at the time. The silk however softened the light and created ambience, but at the expense of the light quality. Henningsen and Louis Poulsen saw this as an opportunity to reach out to private customers once more. Around 1930, Louis Poulsen launched a new and extensive series of PH lamps. They were developed particularly for domestic use, which meant that many came in smaller sizes that could fit in anywhere and which also made them less expensive than the classic PH lamps at the time. To provide people with more warmth and individuality in the home, all of the new lamps were available in amber, red and yellow coloured glass, besides the usual opal white, matt or metal shade variants. The series was a huge success. The PH 2/1 Pale Rose Brass Table aligns well with nowadays, where discreet but clear lighting with a cosy ambience is often preferred. Henningsen also had a soft spot for the pale rose tint and how it could diversify the appearance of a lamp and its light. At around the same time, he created a particularly delicate variant of his seven-shade glass crown Septima, named the Rosa Septima. Three decades later, he used the same faint rosy hue on the inner sides of the beautiful copper shades of the iconic Artichoke. Today, the small size of the PH 2/1 Pale Rose Brass Table allows the lamp to fit in every corner of the home, whether it is on a little table, a shelf or a windowsill, which it will accentuate with an isle of fine light, creating poetic ambience around it. The soft curves and unique silhouette of the three-shade lamp combined with the pale rose colour, the clear edges and a white textile cord make the lamp stand out. The PH 2/1 Pale Rose Brass Table is just as captivating with the light turned off, where the glossy surface of the delicate mouth-blown Italian glass mirrors its surroundings. Just like in around 1930, the PH 2/1 comes in exquisite brushed brass with its distinctive go-through switch. The brass will patinate beautifully over time and provide the table lamp with even more character, unless it is carefully polished from time to time to maintain the original finish.

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