For designers Alvar Aalto, Ilmari Tapiovaara and Poul Henningsen, it was nature that inspired them most. When Finnish auction house Annmaris holds its Nordic Design auction on 28 February, these designers' rare and sought-after lights and lamps will be presented along with classics by Paavo Tynell, Philip Arctander and Birger Kaipiainen.
Alvar Aalto for Valaistustyö, A332 Beehive
Alvar Aalto's Beehive lamp was designed in the early 1950s and manufactured by Valaistustyö. This lamp is an early and rare variant made of brass and painted in blue. Beehive was designed for the University of Jyväskylä and has since been one of Alvar Aalto's most coveted light pieces.
Ilmari Tapiovaara for Hienoteräs Oy, Maija the Bee
Another designer inspired by bees was Ilmari Tapiovaara. In the 1950s, he designed the floor lamp Maija the Bee for Hienoteräs Oy. At Annmaris, you will find an unusual copy made of aluminium with a leather detail on the base.
Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, Septima type 5
The first prototype of the ceiling lamp Septima type 5 was presented at the Museum of Art and Design (today Designmuseum Denmark) in Copenhagen in 1928. It was the Danish designer Poul Henningsen who was behind the design, which later became the source of inspiration for his famous ceiling lamp Artichoke designed in 1957. Now, at Annmaris, you have the chance to bid on an early version of Henningsen's iconic Septima type 5.
