Hans-Agne Jakobsson 'Fringe' Pendant in Silk and Brass

Hans-Agne Jakobsson for Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB in Markaryd, Sweden, 'Fringe' pendant light, model 'T601', brass, silk, Sweden, 1960s

This pendant lamp by Hans-Agne Jakobsson exemplifies the designer’s characteristic ability to merge atmospheric softness with refined material expression. Suspended from a slender stem, the brass crown is punctuated by a sequence of small cut-out motifs that lend the piece a sense of measured ornament. Below, cascading tiers of silk fringe form a luminous volume. As the light filters through the layered strands, it generates a warm, diffused glow.

The Swedish interior and furniture designer Hans-Agne Jakobsson (1919-2009) was born in Hvadhem, a small village located in the province Gotland, Sweden, in 1919. Jakobsson obtained an apprenticeship as a carpenter before completing an architectural study in Gothenburg. He made his entrance as an industrial designer at General Motors and subsequently started assisting furniture designers Carl Malmsten (1888-1972) and Werner West (1890-1959). In 1951, he established his own company ‘Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB’ in Markaryd, Sweden. He worked during the Golden Age of Scandinavian design and his oeuvre ranged from furniture, lighting, and various everyday objects. Jakobsson is best remembered for his softly glowing, glare-free lighting fixtures, which were inspired by the "organic modern" approaches of Danish lighting master Poul Henningsen (1894-1967) and Finnish icon Alvar Aalto (1898-1976). Jakobsson created a diversity of pendants, floor lamps, wall lamps, and table lamps that showcase a penchant for diverse materials and forms, as well as a deep understanding of lighting effects. Throughout his career, Jakobsson carried out commissions for private homes as well as public buildings. In 2009, Hans-Agne Jakobsson passed away in Markaryd, leaving a long-lasting mark in the field of lighting design.