Paavo Tynell Commissioned Large Table Lamp in Brass & Leather, Taito 1950s

An exceptionally rare commissioned table lamp designed by Paavo Tynell for Taito Oy in the early 1950s. A similar but smaller version of the design was created for Helsinki’s iconic Hotel Vaakuna, for which Tynell designed the lighting fixtures.

The lamp features a metal base wrapped in leather, an elegant two-branched brass stem and a beautifully crafted bast-fibre shade. Beneath the glass diffuser are three light bulbs, each operated independently by its own switch, allowing the intensity and atmosphere of the light to be adjusted.

With its sculptural presence, refined materials and remarkable craftsmanship, this lamp is as much a work of art as it is a functional lighting object. It represents the finest qualities of Tynell’s commissioned work and would make an important addition to any serious collection of Nordic design.

The shade material is of a later date upholstered on original frame. The lamp is in good condition and fully stamped underneath: “TT Taito, Made in Finland.” The base of the lamp has a hole intended to fix the lamp to the table indicating that it was commissioned for a public space.

Paavo Tynell (1890–1973) was a Finnish lighting designer internationally celebrated for his poetic and atmospheric approach to illumination. Often described as “the man who illuminated Finland,” his work can be found in numerous important public and private interiors, including the Finnish Parliament House and the office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York.

Tynell began his career as a sheet-metal worker’s apprentice at G. W. Sohlberg in 1906. He later joined the metal workshop Taidetakomo Koru Oy before studying—and subsequently teaching—at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki. In 1918, he co-founded Taito Oy, which grew into one of Finland’s most important lighting manufacturers.

Tynell achieved his international breakthrough in the late 1940s and 1950s. His distinctive lighting designs were introduced to the American market through Finland House in New York, where they became highly successful. Alongside catalogue models, he created numerous commissioned fixtures for prominent interiors and architectural projects. As surviving documentation is incomplete, many of these unique and exceptionally rare designs remain largely unknown today.