Ceiling lamp Koloman Moser Loetz ca. 1900

Polished brass ceiling lamp with glass shade, glass designed by Koloman Moser for Johann Loetz Witwe, “Opal mit Punkten” decoration, ca. 1900

This ceiling lamp was known in Vienna as “pende”. Such lighting fixtures became very popular in Vienna around 1900 and hung in the high rooms and staircases of buildings in the city center. Country estates of wealthy families were also equipped with this type of lamps. They were usually made of brass or alpaca and fitted with ornate glass shades.

Koloman Moser often used such ceiling lamps in the interiors he designed. In this case, he drew up the glass shade. This was executed by the company Loetz and comissioned by E. Bakalowits Söhne, following Moser’s designs. The highly opalescent glass was ribbed on the inside to create an exciting refraction of light. The inserted red glass specks form a welcome contrast to the white surface and create the impression of radiant red stars.

Bib: lamp shade depicted in Siegfried Wichmann, “Jugendstil Floral Funktional”, Bayrisches Nationalmuseum Munich 1984, p.176 A. Adlerova, E. Ploil, H. Ricke, T. Vlcek (ed.), Loetz – Böhmisches Glas 1880-1940, vol. II, paper pattern catalogue, Prestel, Munich 1989, paper pattern 85/3814, p. 282.