Model 6551 Lamp by Christian Dell for Kaiser Idell, 1930s

Details

Description

A rare and highly collectable early example of the Kaiser Idell Model 6551 desk lamp, designed by Christian Dell and … Read more A rare and highly collectable early example of the Kaiser Idell Model 6551 desk lamp, designed by Christian Dell and manufactured in Germany during the 1930s.

What makes this particular version especially desirable is its early “Original JDell” embossed marking on the shade. This distinctive inscription belongs to the first generation of Kaiser Idell production, before the later “Kaiser Idell Original” branding became standard. Together with its more compact shade, it gives the lamp a subtly different character from the later, more familiar versions.

The design is an outstanding expression of the Bauhaus approach to everyday objects: purposeful, beautifully engineered and stripped of unnecessary decoration. Its compact black steel shade and carefully considered proportions give it a confident, sculptural presence, while its adjustable construction makes it a practical working light as well as a significant piece of early modernist design.

The lamp stands 43 cm high, with a shade diameter of 16 cm. Its restrained black finish and clean geometric silhouette make it equally at home on a contemporary desk, reading table or within a collection of classic twentieth-century lighting.

An especially appealing opportunity to acquire an early Kaiser Idell with the original “JDell” inscription – a fascinating detail for collectors of Bauhaus and German modernist design.

Details
Designer: Christian Dell
Manufacturer: Gebrüder Kaiser & Co. / Kaiser Idell
Model: 6551
Date: 1930s
Country of manufacture: Germany
Material: Steel
Colour: Black
Marking: Embossed “Original JDell” inscription on the shade
Height: 43 cm
Shade diameter: 16 cm
Electrical: Rewired and earthed
Plug: European plug, rated up to 250V

Condition
Excellent vintage condition. The lamp has been rewired and earthed, and has been confirmed as in working order. Please refer to the photographs for a detailed view of its condition and the embossed shade marking.

About the Designer – Christian Dell
Christian Dell (1893–1974) was a German metalworker and industrial designer whose work helped shape the development of modern lighting. He trained as a silversmith before becoming one of the most important figures in the Bauhaus metal workshop at Weimar, where he worked from 1922 to 1925. As workshop master, he worked alongside László Moholy-Nagy and helped train a generation of influential designers.

After leaving the Bauhaus, Dell became head of the metal workshop at the Frankfurt School of Arts and Crafts. There he developed a series of innovative desk and task lamps, including the Rondella designs, before creating the Kaiser Idell lighting system in 1934. His approach combined the precision of a trained metalworker with the modernist ambition to make well-designed, functional objects for everyday life.

Dell's lamps are particularly admired for their robust construction, carefully engineered joints and distinctive forms. The Kaiser Idell range became his best-known achievement and remains one of the defining lighting collections of the Bauhaus era.

About the Manufacturer – Gebrüder Kaiser & Co.
The Kaiser Idell lamps were manufactured by Gebrüder Kaiser & Co. in Neheim-Hüsten, Germany. The company brought Dell's designs into production, creating a family of task, desk and floor lamps distinguished by their durable metal construction and ingenious adjustable mechanisms.

The Kaiser Idell range was introduced commercially in 1935 and featured in the company's 1936 catalogue. Its name combines the Kaiser manufacturer's name with “Idell”, a reference to its designer, Christian Dell. Early examples bearing the “Original JDell” inscription are particularly interesting because they reflect the collection's first phase, before the later Kaiser Idell branding became established.

The collection continued to be produced, with modifications, for decades and is now recognised as a landmark of twentieth-century German lighting design. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution,
European Plug (up to 250V).The wiring of this item may be original and might need replacement, if not specified otherwise. See less