Louis Poulsen PH 2/1 Stammkrone pendant light

PH 2/1 Stammkrone pendant light with lampshades made of three-layered opal glass

The principle behind the three-bulb PH 2/1 Stammkrone pendant light dates back to 1925/26, when Poul Henningsen – a Danish designer, architect, writer and journalist – designed the three-part lampshade. The first models were created with the help of Louis Poulsen. It was to become a life-long partnership until Poul Henningsen’s death in 1967.

Henningsen was driven by the desire to create lights with glare-free lighting, soft shadows, perfect illumination and fantastic ambiences. The first lampshades were made of metal and had a white, gold or silver-painted interior. The lampshades of PH 2/1 Stammkrone are, by contrast, made of hand-blown, three-layered opal glass, which has a glossy exterior and a sand-blasted, matt interior to produce soft, diffuse lighting.

The arms and body of the light are made of brass with a high-gloss chrome-plated finish. The socket covers are made of extruded aluminium with an equally high-gloss chrome-plated finish.

The pioneering work by designer Poul Henningsen in relation to the relationship between light structures, shadows, mirrors and light rendering – compared with the human need for light, especially at the darkest time of year – remains a key cornerstone of the light theory employed by Louis Poulsen.