Glowing spheres have intrigued families all over the world for decades. Whether in the form of simple Japanese paper lanterns or more complex and expensive lamps such as the Artichoke pendant by Poul Henningsen there has always seemed to be a trend toward glowing balls of light. With that thought in mind, George Nelson’s Bubble Lamps are possibly the most iconic modern lighting fixture in history.
In 1947, inspiration hit George Nelson in the form of the self-webbing material used to moth-ball ships. Intrigued with the material, Nelson hunted down the supplier. By forming a metal frame that he covered with the material, Nelson created his first glowing sphere overnight. The Bubble Lamps were sold through Howard Miller Clock Company.
Like many companies who discontinued modern design pieces in the 1970s and 1980s when design trends changed, Howard Miller halted production of the Bubble Lamp collection in 1979. Lucky for collectors of modern classics, there is a company who is devoted to bringing back these lost treasures. Modernica opened its doors in 1989 to give the world back some faded memories. In 1998, they obtained the tooling and materials to bring Nelson’s Bubble Lamps back to life according to their exact original specifications.
The Bubble Lamps, originally identified only by their catalog number while produced through Howard Miller, now have names to give their shapes more personality! There are 7 shapes available through Modernica: Pear, Cigar, Saucer, Ball, Apple, Lantern and Propeller. In addition to the shape preference, the lamps can be specified with the original plain steel frame or the criss-cross pattern. The company even offers the lamps in a cluster in which you can indicate exactly what shape you would like for the triple pendant.
Unfortunately, if you live in the Kansas City area and are hoping to get a new Bubble Lamp, you will have to order it online. Only Modernica offers authentic reproductions. However, if you are looking for an original (pre-1979), you might be in luck if you drop by Retro Inferno to take a look at their current lighting selection.
For more information on Retro Inferno, you may contact them at 816.842.4004 or go to their website.
Store hours: Monday - Saturday: 11 am - 6 pm or by appointment.
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