The Enduring Legacy of the WA24 Table Lamp
Bremen-built Wilhelm-Wagenfeld Lighting marks its centennial anniversary
The WA24 table lamp, designed by the renowned German industrial designer Wilhelm Wagenfeld, continues to captivate design enthusiasts and collectors with its timeless beauty and versatility. This iconic piece, originally designed in the 1920s, remains a flagship product of Bremen manufactory and a testament to Wagenfeld's commitment to marrying function with aesthetic simplicity.
Origins and Design Philosophy
Born and raised in the Bremen district of Walle, Wagenfeld (1900-1990) was a student and later a teacher at the Bauhaus school in Weimar and Dessau. In 1924, at the tender age of 23, he developed the WA24 lamp, then known as the MT8. The lamp embodies the Bauhaus maxim of combining function with aesthetic simplicity, making it a timeless example of modernist design.
Materials and Production
The WA24 lamp is made from polished and frosted glass with a stainless steel frame. The base is typically clear or frosted glass, while the conical glass shade provides a soft, diffused light. The lamp's 28 components come from Europe, mainly from Germany.
Initially, 250 lamps were produced, with all technical modifications approved by Wagenfeld. Later, Tecnolumen, a design lighting company based in Bremen, took over the production of the lamp. Today, Tecnolumen remains the only authorized manufacturer of the lamp, now known as WA24 (Wagenfeld 1924).
In Bremen, the individual elements are assembled and technically inspected for quality, ensuring that each lamp meets museum-quality standards. The materials used in the lamp are said to last forever, with owners often passing it on to the next generation.
Counterfeits and Authenticity
Many counterfeits of the WA24 lamp exist, but they are easily distinguishable from the original due to quality standards. Tecnolumen's production is characterized by high-quality craftsmanship—glass components are hand-polished, metal parts are precisely manufactured, and overall the lamps are inspected to meet museum-quality standards.
The WA24 Today
The WA24 table lamp is a permanent loan in the Wilhelm Wagenfeld House in Bremen, serving as the star piece of their collection. It is also displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Despite not being produced in large quantities at the time, the lamp has gained widespread popularity, with fans owning up to eight lamps in their homes.
In conclusion, the WA24 table lamp, designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld in 1924, is a milestone in functional modernist lighting design. It blends Bauhaus principles of clarity, utility, and beauty in a simple table lamp form. Produced today by Tecnolumen in Bremen, the lamp is made using traditional manufacturing techniques aligned with the original Bauhaus vision, maintaining its status as an iconic design classic within the world of modern decorative lighting.
The WM24 table lamp, a design classic and testament to Wilhelm Wagenfeld's commitment to modernist principles, epitomizes the seamless integration of lifestyle and interior-design elements in home-and-garden spaces, making it a cherished addition to many homes. Its timeless beauty, rooted in functionality and aesthetic simplicity, continues to inspire design enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.
