Interior products to covet: the Anglepoise lamp
Interior products to covet: the Anglepoise lamp
The iconic Anglepoise lamp is a prominent fixture in the personal and work life of CMID.
At home, we frequently see an animated form of the lamp come to life in the opening credits of Pixar movies – a genre of which four-year old Tom (Charlotte and Craig’s young son) is an avid fan. A collection of real-life Anglepoise lamps is scattered across the house and also deployed on every desk in CMID’s new Wellington studio.
UK brand Anglepoise offers a range of products that comfortably meet both residential and office needs – a rare commodity in interior design. The essential style and core engineering of their lamps – especially the foundational ‘1227’ lamp – have changed little in the near century since the first Anglepoise came to market.
It is this timeless charm and wonderful functionality that we think makes it a product worth coveting. Moreover, CMID admires quality heritage brands and Anglepoise certainly embodies that description.
“It is this timeless charm and wonderful functionality that we think makes it a product worth coveting.”
Anglepoise lamps have enjoyed enduring success as an interior product. Oscar Wilde once wrote that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and there are a number of pseudo-Anglepoise designs available of varying appeal and price points. This is a genuine compliment to the desirability and influence of the Anglepoise over the years, though possibly an unintended one.
Yet in life as in design, you cannot surpass the real thing.
The original Anglepoise lamp – the 1227 – was first released in 1935. Designed by British mechanical engineer George Carwardine, a car designer by trade, the 1227’s popularity continues to this day. Leading British industrial designer Sir Kenneth Grange has been Anglepoise’s design director since 2003. A master of modernism, Grange has lent his talents to updating the 1227 lamp. Collaborations with fashion designer Sir Paul Smith have added expressive colours and styling to the next Anglepoise generation.
In large part, however, the 1227 remains true to its earliest vision: exposed springs at its base, a head that can be easily manipulated at various angles and contortions, and an emitted light of pleasing focus.
And although some of Grange’s updates have seen adjustments made to its traditional shade and springs to make the lamp more slender and supple through the arm, the range is inescapably Anglepoise in its form.
The longevity of the basic design is a testament to the effectiveness of the lamp’s lasting excellence. The engineering excels in its simplicity and lack of pretension - hallmarks of a superior interior product in our eyes.
“The longevity of the basic design is a testament to the effectiveness of the lamp’s lasting excellence. The engineering excels in its simplicity and lack of pretension - hallmarks of a superior interior product in our eyes.”
But core design and engineering are only part of the larger picture. Robustness is also important. Though lean and angular in appearance, the Anglepoise has always been an incredibly durable product with early versions made of steel and later models of brass and aluminium. The lamp’s durability is key to its heavy use in homes and places of work around the world.
A note on service. Though it is a hard-wearing product, the lamp is not impervious to harm – and especially to the destructive tendencies of an energetic little boy (see the aforementioned four-year old). In fact, few things are we have found. So, when it came to repairing one of our Tom-damaged Anglepoise lamps, we dealt directly with the company itself and they quickly replaced the parts. Reliable and ready service is another key feature of the wider product picture.
Altogether, CMID thinks the Anglepoise is truly a product for all seasons and reasons. It is a lamp of many angles and plenty of poise.
Words: Craig Greaves
