Start with the job. A lamp that lights a page or a keyboard needs a head you can aim, and a lamp that lights a bedside or a corner needs a shade that spreads the light. Among the eight table lamps compared here from the designer lighting collection, the shade tells you which is which. The AJ and Flowerpot style lamps have metal shades whose pages do not describe the light.
Two of the eight have heads you can aim. The Christian Dell style table lamp has a shade and arm that tilt, and its product page presents it as a desk and bedside lamp. The Grasshopper style table lamp, credited to Greta Grossman, has a shade that tilts and rotates through 360 degrees, and its page suggests it for task lighting on desks or side tables. Both are made of copper and carbon steel.
Four of the eight are built to diffuse light rather than aim it. The W24 style globe lamp, credited to Wilhelm Wagenfeld, has a white glass globe that gives a glowing, diffused light, and its page suggests it for ambient lighting. The PH 3/2 and PH 2/1 style lamps use a three-shade system for a soft, glare-free light. The Panthella style table lamp's dome directs light downwards while its acrylic shade diffuses it, and its page suggests it for ambient light or reading.
A table lamp has to suit the top it stands on. The eight compared here run from a 35.5 cm lamp on a 20 cm base to a 58 cm lamp with a 40 cm dome, so measure the table first.
The PH 2/1 style lamp stands 35.5 cm and the W24 style globe lamp 36 cm. The Grasshopper and Christian Dell style lamps are 41.2 cm and 43 cm. The PH 3/2 and Flowerpot style lamps stand 47.2 cm and 48 cm, the AJ style lamp 56 cm and the Panthella style lamp 58 cm.
The Grasshopper style lamp measures 15 by 14.4 cm and the W24 style globe lamp 18 cm across. The PH 2/1 style lamp is 20 by 20 cm and the Flowerpot style lamp 23 cm across. The Christian Dell and PH 3/2 style lamps are 29 cm wide, the AJ style lamp 35 by 21.5 cm, and the Panthella style lamp's dome 40 cm across. All eight weigh between 1.5 kg and 4.5 kg. On a narrow bedside table or side table, compare the lamp's width with the tabletop before you order.
The PH 3/2 and PH 2/1 style lamps share a three-shade design. The PH 3/2 stands 47.2 cm, weighs 4 kg and takes an E14 bulb. The PH 2/1 stands 35.5 cm, weighs 1.5 kg and takes a G9 bulb. See both, and the rest of the lamps credited to him, on the Poul Henningsen page.
The product pages credit each design to its designer: the AJ style lamp to Arne Jacobsen, the Flowerpot and Panthella style lamps to Verner Panton, the W24 style globe lamp to Wilhelm Wagenfeld, the PH style lamps to Poul Henningsen, the Grasshopper style lamp to Greta Grossman and the Christian Dell style lamp to Christian Dell. These are reproductions: each page states that the item is not manufactured by or affiliated with the original designer or associated parties.
Check the fitting on each product page, because three are used here. The AJ, Flowerpot, W24, Christian Dell and Panthella style lamps take one E27 bulb, a golf ball shape on the Flowerpot. The PH 3/2 and Grasshopper style lamps take an E14 bulb, and the PH 2/1 style lamp a G9. None of the eight includes a bulb. Seven list a 60 W maximum; the PH 2/1 page gives no wattage.
Seven of the eight list a UK and a Euro plug: the AJ, Flowerpot, Christian Dell, PH 3/2, Panthella, PH 2/1 and Grasshopper style lamps. The W24 style globe lamp's specification has no plug or electrical line, so ask customer support before you order if that matters. The PH 3/2 style lamp also lists its switch as on the cable.
The Panthella style table lamp is listed as dimmable with an independent switch, which is not included. None of the other seven specifications mentions dimming, so do not assume a lamp will dim unless its page says so. If you want a dimmable light, check the Dimmable line in the product specification before you order, and buy a dimmer that suits the lamp's bulb and fitting.
Most need no assembly. The AJ, W24, Christian Dell, PH 2/1 and Grasshopper style lamps are listed as needing none, and the Flowerpot style lamp arrives fully assembled. The PH 3/2 style lamp needs basic assembly, and on the Panthella style lamp you fit the shade to the base. The Assembly line in each product specification gives the detail before you order.
Yes, several. The AJ, Grasshopper, Panthella and Christian Dell style lamps each have a floor-standing version, so a reading chair and the table beside it can share one design. The Panthella product page notes that the design is available in floor and table versions. The floor lamps collection lists the taller versions with their heights, weights and bulb fittings.
Black and white are the most common finishes. The grid's colour filter counts 20 lamps in black and 18 in white, with chrome on 9, and orange, red, gold, aqua blue, green, charcoal grey and rose gold on fewer pieces. Several lamps come in more than one finish, which you choose on the product page. Use the grid's Colour filter to see only the lamps offered in the finish you want.
Some pieces and finishes are held in stock for faster dispatch, and others take longer. Of the eight compared here, the PH 3/2 and Panthella style lamps show a faster dispatch line, and the other six show a longer lead time. The grid's Express Delivery filter narrows the list, and each product page shows its current lead time under the Add to Cart button.
Dust it with a soft, dry cloth. The product pages add a few specifics: a gentle glass cleaner suits the glass shades of the PH 3/2 and PH 2/1 style lamps, the brass versions of the Christian Dell style lamp can be polished with a soft pad, and the Flowerpot style lamp can be wiped with a damp cloth. On the AJ style lamp, keep moisture away from the bulb socket.
