{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O120888"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O120888/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF3852/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF3852/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF3852","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AB6686","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM2935","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW4711","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O120888","accessionNumber":"M.27-1992","objectType":"Desk lamp","titles":[{"title":"Dell-Lampe Type K","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"Christian Dell joined the Bauhaus Metal Workshop in 1922 and was appointed <font -i>Werkmeister der Metallwerkstaatt Bauhauses</font> (Head of craft education in the bauhaus Metal Workshop) at the end of 1925.  A distinguished silversmith in his own right, he also designed a number of light fittings which were put into production towards the end of the 1920s.  A similar British design, the <font -i>Bestlite</font>, by R.D. Best of the Birmingham firm of Best & Lloyd was introduced ca.1930 and bears a close relationship with Dell's original version.  Best \"anglicised\" the design by making the spun aluminium shade and the base of the lamp slightly curved in section.  While he retained the pillar clip joint, a new universal ball joint above the lamp holder was introduced, giving adjustability through 360 degrees.\r\n\r\nThe relationship of these two designs is of particular interest to the Museum's collections since we have previously purchased a pair of wall lamps (M.21&a-1985), a variant of the <font -i>Bestlite</font> lamp design.  These wall lamps had previously been selected by the interior designer, Betty Joel, for a refurbishment of one of the bedroom suites of the Savoy Hotel, London, in the early 1930s.  The <font -i>Rondella</font> lamp is not only an interesting example of Bauhaus industrial design but also serves to the direct influence of the Bauhaus philosophy on comtemporary, British design.","physicalDescription":"Desk lamp, the loaded base is circular with a curved rim.  The lamp is supported on a chromed tube which is held at its lower end in a hemispherical, chromed clamp by a cylindrical nut and bolt passing through the middle.  The clamp is attached to a vertical tubular post by two grips at each corner.  The post, secured to the centre of the base, is surmounted by a plain, black, plastic finial.  The tube supporting the lamp is a straight section, curved at the top through 90 degrees and terminates with a circular, swivel joint composed of two hemispherical sections.  The shade consists of a narrow, circular sleeve which houses the screw socket for the lamp, at the base of which is a hemispherical shade with a rolled over rim cut at a diagonal.  The exterior of the shade is lacquered black;  the interior a matt white.  The flex protrudes from a hole, drilled in the side and near the base near the central supporting post and is covered in a sleeve of knitted cotton.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Dell, Christian","id":"A10575"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Zimmermann GmbH","id":"A17388"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"nickel","id":"AAT11028"},{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"},{"text":"Chromium plated metal","id":"x30325"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"},{"text":"electroplating","id":"AAT54000"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brass and nickel, lacquered and part chromium plated","categories":[{"text":"Lighting","id":"THES48925"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[{"text":"Bauhaus","id":"AAT21432"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AF3852","2006AB6686","2006AM2935","2021MW4711"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"74","id":"THES49720"},"free":"","case":"CA004","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"desk lamp","id":"AAT182550"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Frankfurt","id":"x36833"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1929","earliest":"1924-01-01","latest":"1933-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"24","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"58","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"29","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"dimensions taken for 'Cold War Modern' (summer 2008)","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"No marks","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Modernism Exhbition RF.2005/362","historicalContext":"Christian Dell joined the Bauhaus Metal Workshop in 1922 and was appointed <font -i>Werkmeister der Metallwerkstaatt Bauhauses</font> (Head of craft education in the bauhaus Metal Workshop) at the end of 1925.  A distinguished silversmith in his own right, he also designed a number of light fittings which were put into production towards the end of the 1920s.  A similar British design, the <font -i>Bestlite</font>, by R.D. Best of the Birmingham firm of Best & Lloyd was introduced ca.1930 and bears a close relationship with Dell's original version.  Best \"anglicised\" the design by making the spun aluminium shade and the base of the lamp slightly curved in section.  While he retained the pillar clip joint, a new universal ball joint above the lamp holder was introduced, giving adjustability through 360 degrees.\r\n\r\nThe relationship of these two designs is of particular interest to the Museum's collections since we have previously purchased a pair of wall lamps (M.21&a-1985), a variant of the <font -i>Bestlite</font> lamp design.  These wall lamps had previously been selected by the interior designer, Betty Joel, for a refurbishment of one of the bedroom suites of the Savoy Hotel, London, in the early 1930s.  The <font -i>Rondella</font> lamp is not only an interesting example of Bauhaus industrial design but also serves to the direct influence of the Bauhaus philosophy on comtemporary, British design.","briefDescription":"<font -i>Dell-Lampe Type K</font>, Brass, nickel, lacquer and chrome, Germany, Frankfurt, ca.1930, made by Chr. Zimmermann GmbH, designed by Christain Dell.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Wilk, Christopher (ed.) <i>Modernism : designing a new world 1914-1939</i>. London: V&A Publications, 2006 Number: 1851774777 (pbk.)","id":"AUTH335830"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Weber, Klaus, <i>Die Metallwerkstatt am Bauhaus</i>, Berlin: Bauhaus-Archiv - Museum für Gestaltung, 1998.","id":"AUTH349634"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"A groundbreaking movement\r\n\r\nIn a clean break with heavily decorated styles of the past, Modernist designers turned to simple materials like bentwood and tubular steel. In Germany, a number of housing exhibitions and publications sought to bring this visionary movement to a new, wide audience. The robust, black bentwood chair and metal table lamp were included in the Frankfurt Register, a publication issued by the Frankfurt city council to promote this new, more affordable form of design.\r\n\r\nExhibition poster rejecting decorative interiors \r\n‘Wie Wohnen? Die Wohnung’ (How should we live? The Dwelling), 1927\r\nDesigned by Willi Baumeister \r\nIssued by the Deutscher Werkbund, Germany \r\nLithograph on paper \r\nPurchased through the Julie and Robert Breckman Print Fund \r\nMuseum no. E.266-2005\r\n\r\nBlack bentwood chair \r\nModel B403, 1927\r\nDesigned by Ferdinand Kramer \r\nManufactured by Thonet, Germany \r\nSteam-bent beech frame and plywood back rest and seat, stained black \r\nMuseum no. W.3-2005\r\n\r\nAdjustable table lamp \r\nDell-Lampe Type K, about 1929\r\nDesigned by Christian Dell \r\nManufactured by Zimmermann GmbH, Germany \r\nSteel, nickelled brass and ebonite \r\nMuseum no. M.27-1992\r\n\r\nThe object sits in the 'Housing and Leaving' section of the Design 1900-Now gallery opened in June 2021.\r\n","date":{"text":"2021","earliest":"2021-01-01","latest":"2021-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["M.27-1992"],"accessionNumberNum":"27","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1992,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"211","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2021NA5670","2021NA5671"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-13","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-08","availableToBook":false}}