A pair of absolute show-stopper wall lamps designed by Danish prestige, amazingly well made, and with quite an interesting history.
Crafted entirely from solid copper, from the backplate cover and stem to the gorgeous hand spun shade canopy, there is something strangely akin to the well-known AJ table lamp by Arne Jacobsen for the SAS Royal Hotel Copenhagen. Interestingly, that design also began its life in copper before it made its way onto the retail market.
Striking silhouettes aside, we should turn our attention to the makers. Friis and Moltke, a powerhouse architectural design firm founded in 1954, were commissioned in 1984 to design the Scanticon Hotel and Conference Centre in Minneapolis, from which these lamps get their name. Not only did they build the structure from the ground-up, Friis and Motlke were also responsible for producing an interior that showcased Danish design and its sensibilities to the international guests. Lighting played a huge part in this, and the Minneapolis lamp found its way into practically every room as floor, table, ceiling and wall mounted versions. The hanging pendants and wall lights were all made from gleaming unlaquered copper, which when illuminated produce a unique warmth so often associated with 20th century Nordic design principles. Scanticon as a chain were obviously keen to push this into every facet of the building, being a Danish corporation itself.
I've included images of the interior to this listing as seen in the Architecture Minnesota Magazine from July/August 1989. The 285,000 square foot space was opened to the public in 1987.
There is nothing to suggest that these exact lamps have made its way over the pond from the Scanticon Minneapolis, as to my knowledge the building retains all of these copper fixtures to this day. However, I also believe that these are very, very early examples given that there is no record of a commercially available 'Minneapolis' lamp at this scale and in this material. They have clearly seen decades of use, the previous owner thankfully never polishing the amazingly patinated metal which has resulted in this intense burnt orange/burgundy bloom.
It goes without saying that these are a real rarity, overall in beautiful condition with a various age-related marks and will be safely re-wired upon sale for the UK, US or EU, included in the price.
Specifications:
Max. Projection: 52cm / Shade Diameter: 36cm / Backplate Diameter: 14cm
