French Wall Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras for Gras, 1930s

This wall lamp was designed by Bernard-Albin Gras and manufactured by Gras, France circa 1930. It is made from aluminum and steel. In a good original vintage condition. In 1922 Bernard-Albin Gras designed a series of lamps for use in offices and in industrial environments. The Gras lamp, as it was subsequently called, featured a simple, robust, and yet very ergonomic design. There are neither screws nor welded joints in the basic form. In 1927 the Ravel company purchased the patent and started production of the Gras lamps. Bernard- Albin Gras was one of the most innovative designers of the 20th century. The functional aesthetic of his lamps and especially the design of details such as those of the arms, stems, brackets, and bases were far ahead of his time. Early on Le Corbusier was seduced by the modern design and user-friendliness of the lamps and became one of Bernard-Albin Gras's most enthusiastic supporters using the lamps in his own offices as well as employing them in numerous architectural projects all over the world. Others such as Robert Mallet-Stevens, Jacques Emile Ruhlmann and Eileen Gray followed this trend as well. Furthermore, such well-known artists as Sonia Delaunay and Georges Braque also used these lamps in their studios. For the first time in history, a lamp was equally popular in professional as well as in residential applications. Today, the Gras lamp has become a sought after collector’s item all over the world, most notably in France, in the United States and in Japan.