Tube Light Floor Lamp, Chrome-plated

Design

The Tube light floor lamp, designed in 1927 for the Villa E 1027, is the most unusual object by the designer. Eileen Gray banished all elements of a conventional lamp and focused on the bulb that is normally covered by a lampshade. Arranged vertically and fixed with plastic frames, this takes up the tubular shape of the frame, which rests on a round base equipped with a switch. With its structure of chrome plated tubular steel and its minimalist design language, the lamp was considered to be avant-garde at the time, as no one had previously dared to use a fluorescent tube in that way. The ClassiCon lamp Tube Light by Eileen Gray broke with the conventions and particularly inspired designers of the 21st century such as Ingo Maurer and Castiglioni, who also put the bulb in the focus of their creations.

Historical Context

In 1968, an article in Domus magazine brought the E 1027 table and the Bibendum armchair back into the public sphere after both had been forgotten in the architecture and design worlds. Production then resumed. Eileen Gray died in Paris on October 31, 1976, at the age of 98, after which architect and author Michel Raynaud said that Gray had become famous only four years before her death. In 1987 the first biography of the architect and designer was published. The German manufacturer ClassiCon has been in possession of the licenses for her works since 1990 and produces, among other objects, the Tube Light lamp and the Roquebrune chair. As one of only few visible female designers, Eileen Gray managed to create a connection between the older generation of artists from the beginnings of modernity and the artists of the 80s. After buying her archive in 2002, the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin opened a permanent exhibition of her works. The Victoria and Albert Museum has two Art Nouveau screens, while the Center Georges Pompidou has nine pieces of furniture from Villa E-1027 in its collection, including an Adjustable table and a Transat armchair. In 2013, the museum that focuses on modern and contemporary art dedicated a very successful exhibition to Eileen Gray. The Coiffeuse table (1926-1929), another well-known work by Gray, can be admired in the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris. Two of her architectural projects, Villa Tempe a Pailla and Villa E-1027, were classified as "Monument historique" in 1990 and 2000, respectively.

Production

The ClassiCon Tube light is manufactured in southern Germany in certified handicraft companies that meet high quality standards and the applicable environmental protection regulations. In cooperation with specialized suppliers all production steps have been carried out by qualified employees for many years. ClassiCon works exclusively with renowned partners who have extensive experience in the areas of product development, process optimization and raw material processing and who bring these into the development process. During the production of the Tube light lamp, the transport routes are always optimized to minimize the environmental impact. The manufacturer has various environmental protection certificates and guarantees, including the ISO 14001 certificate for the electroplating process of chrome components. Every single work step is subject to precise control right up to the finished product. After a thorough quality check and careful packaging, the Bauhaus Tube light is shipped.

This engraving under the Tube light guarantees the authenticity of the product

In order to ensure the durability of the ClassiCon products, the manufacturer offers spare parts for the original Tube Light. Both the support and the base are made of chrome plated steel and are easy to care for. The LED tube is held by black plastic frames that are attached to the vertical rod. A black switch on the base enables the lamp to be switched on and off. ClassiCon's Tube Light is manufactured in small series by hand, which can lead to slight deviations between batches. As high quality and authenticity play a special role in ClassiCon furniture, all products are marked and numbered: the signature guarantees that only high-quality materials and processing techniques are used in production - in compliance with all ecological requirements - and that every piece of furniture has undergone intensive quality control. The signature of the designer testifies that it is an original ClassiCon product.