Table Lamp by Christian Dell for Molitor, 1930s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

Following the modular principle, developed at Bauhaus, Christian Dell designed the Grapholux lamp for Kurt Zeisse MOLITOR LEUCHTEN, Berlin. The shade shape was already used in Frankfurt by Bünte und Remmler, as well as by the Swiss manufacturer BAG Turgi. Here the lamp has 2 adjustment options, a ball head over the Bakelite element on the handle and a joint on the shade. The lamp is rewired, bears the embossed signature under the base plate, and is prepared for wall mounting from the factory. The original black shrink paint has been well preserved.

Sheet steel with original black shrink varnish, Bakelite profile, textile-coated connection cable, E27 socket, switch on the socket.

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Creator	Christian Dell
Manufacturer	Molitor
Design Period	1920 to 1949
Production Period	1930 to 1939
Country of Manufacture	Germany
Identifying Marks	This piece has an attribution mark
Style	Industrial, Bauhaus
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage/antique item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
	A professional electrician has rewired this piece to be in working order.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use, Patina consistent with age and use, Rewired and/or new electrical components, Rewired
Plug Type	European Plug (up to 250V)
Product Code	LOB-739429
Materials	Steel, Nickel
Color	Black
Width	32 cm 32 cm
Depth	16 cm 16 cm
Height	40 cm 40 cm

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Germany
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Details

Delivery will be completed by a parcel service such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
You will receive a tracking number to monitor the status of your shipment.
Delivery will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine the packaging upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damaged packaging, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note, take pictures, and—if the item inside shows damages—contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations regarding damaged packaging represents your acceptance of the completed order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Christian Dell

Industrial designer, silversmith, and teacher Christian Dell was born in 1893 in Offenbach, Germany. While information on Dell is limited, multiple sources note he apprenticed as a silversmith in Hanau prior to studying at the Weimar School of Applied Art. Between 1922 and 1925, Dell served as master of the metal workshop at the Bauhaus in Weimar; he is credited with playing a formative role in shaping the Bauhaus’s metalworking curriculum. During this time, he also designed crafted tableware in copper and silver.

In 1926, after the Weimar Bauhaus closed, Dell was appointed director of the then-new metalwork course at the Frankfurt School of Art, where he remained until 1933—at which time the Nazis dismissed him. While in Frankfurt, in addition to teaching and working as a silversmith, Dell began his career as a lighting designer. Standout designs from this period include the Rondella (1927-28) and Polo Populär (1929) desk lights; both were initially manufactured by the Rondella factory at Oberursel and later by Bünte & Remmler in Frankfurt. Other noteworthy pieces include the Dell-lamp type K (1930) as well as the Kaiser idell range (1930s), the latter of which appeared for the first time in catalogue in 1936 and was produced by the company Gebr. Kaiser & Co in Neheim-Hüsten. (Notably, many of Dell’s lighting designs incorporated his own name into their titles.)

After World War II, Dell manufactured silver goods and opened a jeweler’s shop in Wiesbaden, which operated from 1948 to 1955. He died in Wiesbaden in 1974.