Hans Agne Jakobsson pair of wall lamp, brass & lacquered iron, circa 1960

Pair of wall lamps by Hans-Agne Jakobsson, Sweden. The lamps feature a distinctive architectural construction, combining warm brass with tiered white-painted metal shades. A cylindrical brass housing projects vertically from a rectangular wall plate, while the shade above is formed from a sequence of broad, overlapping horizontal plates.

The layered shades give the lamps a sculptural, almost floating appearance. Their stepped construction conceals the light source from direct view while allowing illumination to escape between and beneath the individual plates, creating a soft and indirect light. The repeated horizontal planes contrast elegantly with the simple cylindrical brass elements below.

The combination of brass, white lacquered metal, geometric forms and carefully controlled light gives the lamps a refined Scandinavian modernist character. Subtle variations and patina to the brass contribute to their vintage appearance, while the unusually graphic shades make the pair particularly decorative even when unlit.

Dimensions : Height approx. 21 cm, distance from wall approx. 24 cm.

About the designer : Hans Agne Jakobsson was a Swedish lighting designer best known for redefining how lamps could shape atmosphere rather than simply provide illumination. Active mainly from the 1950s through the 1970s, he became closely associated with Scandinavian modernism, emphasizing warmth, tactility, and human comfort. Jakobsson frequently used thin wood veneers, brass, and softly diffusing materials to create lamps that eliminated glare and produced a gentle, ambient glow, which stood in contrast to the harsher functional lighting common at the time. Through his company AB Ellysett, he produced designs that were both sculptural and approachable, blending craftsmanship with modern production. Today his work is highly sought after and often reissued, valued for its timeless quality and its influence on how designers think about light as an emotional and spatial experience rather than just a technical necessity.