A Chrome and Black Enamel Desk Lamp by Bestlite

England, 1930s

A rare original BL1 desk lamp by Bestlite, with original chrome switch to the neck, adjustable swan neck arm and black enamel shade.

The origin of the Bestlite BL1 Table Lamp has its roots in ideas that emerged from the Bauhaus, an establishment which championed a rebellion against tradition and sought to bring simplicity to the forefront.

British designer Robert Dudley Best drew the first sketches of the light that would be proclaimed as the first Bauhaus manifestation in England during 1930, while studying in Paris and Düsseldorf.

The Bestlite design was initially favoured by car mechanics on account of its adjustability; however, the swan-necked BL1 lamp entered the nation's consciousness when it was pictured on Winston Churchill's desk in his air-raid shelter beneath Whitehall during World War II. 

Best is now recognised as one of the great British designers of the 20th century, while the Bestlite remains an elegant testimony to his work.

Height at full extension 82.00cm

Width at full extension 60.00cm

Width when upright 45.00cm

Diameter of base 21.00cm

Price

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance