nelson half-nelson lamp

Introducing the 'Half-Nelson' Lamp, a magnum opus from the innovative George Nelson Office, circa 1950. The 'Half-Nelson' Lamp is a definitive example of George Nelson’s visionary design. Stripped down into the most essential shapes, Nelson playfully transforms a cylinder, rod and discus into an enduring work of art.

The 'Half-Nelson' Lamp utilizes a pivoting shade, which is adjustable both left and right and up and down—giving it the ability to direct light in all directions. The cylinder base and disc are both constructed of black powder-coated aluminum, while the underside of the disc is powder-coated white. The stem connecting the two is made of chromed-aluminum and the on/off switch is built of machined-anodized aluminum.

George Nelson originally designed the 'Half-Nelson' Lamp for a large-scale design project, Holiday House. Holiday House was a commissioned design vacation home for a magazine of the same name. The house was built in 1950 on the southern coast of Long Island. It was intended to showcase the magazine and to promote a post-war economy in which one could afford to own a vacation home. George Nelson designed the home and most of its furnishings. The ‘Half-Nelson’ was designed specifically for the living room, however it only remained a prototype.