Founded in 1927 by Walter von Nessen, Nessen Lighting had its breakthrough lighting concept with von Nessen’s swing arm lamp for floor, table, and wall applications. Based on the premise that “form should follow function,” the Nessen swing arm lamp paved the way for other simple, classic styles that highlighted the importance of utility. Nessen Lighting collaborates with pioneering designers such as Ferdinand Porsche, Gianfranco Frattini, Elizabeth Kauffer, Marc Heinlein, Cristian Diez, Heinz Filzer, Jerome Simon, and Peter Wooding Design Associates.
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Floor Lamps— From the original swing arm floor lamp envisioned at the beginning of the twentieth century, Nessen Lighting has designed a whole array of floor lamps that stress functionality and simple design. For example, the Adjustable Floor Lamp designed by Cristian Diez uses ratchet action movement controlled by a knob with a yoke that swivels 340”. Beautifully finished in polished or satin brass, chrome, or nickel, the adjustable lamp by Diez is slim and elegant. Another Nessen floor lamp of note is Tripod Floor Lamp designed by Shelton, Mindel & Associates. A tall lamp featuring three metal legs resting on a ring-shaped base, Tripod is a perfect example of Nessen Lighting’s clean lines and shapes.
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Pendant & Ceiling Lamps—
Starfish Pendant Lamp exemplifies Nessen Lighting’s focus on form. A brass bar juts from the ceiling connected to eight metal arms that end in glowing white orbs of sandblasted glass. This lamp marries mid-century linearity with a decorative flourish. A simpler design is the Moira Pendant Lamp by Wooding Design, Ltd. A solid brass piece with a five-inch diameter canopy with a 40” hang straight, Moira gets finished with a dramatic drum shade. The lamp looks serene and graceful with a celadon shade.
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Table Lamps—
Nessen Lighting offers a wide range of table lamps, including lamps suitable for LEED applications and energy-efficient LEDs. The Kegal Table Lamp combines wood and solid brass construction in a stately design by Mary Helen Pratte. A cone-shaped wood base is topped with a drum shade that includes a white perforated disc for downlight. The elegant base is available in natural maple, walnut, honey maple, medium cherry, dark cherry, and ebony. A more contemporary table lamp is the Twivell “Bibliotheca” 108” Table Lamp, also by Mary Helen Pratte. A solid brass bar lifted on two legs at either end, the Bibliotheca measures 108” across. The light arms on this sleek lamp rotate 160 degrees. LED light modules hold six or eight LEDs board-mounted on a proprietary, patent-pending heat sink.
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Wall Sconces—
The Nessen collection of wall lamps includes traditional swing arm lamps, linear downlights, and decorative lamps with glass or acrylic shades. Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz offers Farol Wall Lamp, a unique lamp with a frosted glass cylinder hanging from a metal swivel base. Streamlined and linear, Farol Wall Lamp almost resembles gleaming machinery. It’s a great choice for lofts and industrial spaces.
In its quest for quality, Nessen Lighting sources materials globally: “Our search for superior materials takes us to the quarries of Zaragoza, the marble finishers of Carrara, the glass makers of Murano, the brass mills of Dusseldorf and the looms of Kortrijk.” At Nessen Lighting, craftsmanship is key. From handheld buffing to polishing, the quality formula ensures a collection of first-rate lighting.
