Nelson Ball Lotus Table Lamp
Summary
The Herman Miller Nelson® Ball Lotus Table Lamp is an iconic mid-century modern fixture known for its perfectly rounded, sphere-shaped shade that provides soft, diffused light. Designed by George Nelson in 1952, the lamp is a classic piece of industrial design, found in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York
Dimensions
A beautiful curve
Fashioned from a lightweight steel frame, the perfectly rounded sphere of the Nelson Ball Lotus Table Lamp is set on a steel base, available with or without a walnut cover, and includes an 86-inch plug-in cord. A pull chain with a solid walnut end provides a convenient way to turn the lamp on and off. In 1952, Nelson was impressed by a set of Swedish hanging lamps that were crafted with a silk covering. Their prohibitive price prompted Nelson to design his own in a way that made them more affordable. The result was a series of lamps with elemental, spherical shapes like a rounded apple, an elongated cigar, and a shapely pear, among others.
George Nelson
George Nelson (1908–1986) was a central figure of American Modernism, renowned as an architect, industrial designer, and writer. As the Director of Design for Herman Miller from 1947 to 1972, he shaped the aesthetic of the mid-century era by recruiting legendary designers like Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi, and Alexander Girard.
