1960s–70s – Danish Mid-Century Modern – Pair of Søholm Turquoise Stoneware Table Lamps, Attributed to Einar Johansen

Origin:

A striking pair of vintage Søholm Stentøj stoneware table lamps, handmade on the island of Bornholm, Denmark, during the 1960s–1970s and attributed to Danish ceramic designer Einar Johansen.

The lamps feature beautifully proportioned cylindrical bodies rising into slender necks, their surfaces enriched by a distinctive sculpted geometric relief. Finished in a luminous turquoise-blue glaze with subtle green undertones, the colour settles differently across the raised and recessed ceramic surface, creating remarkable variations in tone and depth.

The combination of saturated glaze, tactile relief, and restrained sculptural form is closely associated with Søholm’s celebrated mid-century production and Johansen’s approach to ceramic design. Depending on the surrounding light, the glaze moves from softer sea-green and turquoise tones to deeper blue, emphasizing the dimensional quality of the pattern.

Presented as a pair, the lamps have a particularly strong decorative presence while retaining the quiet, organic character associated with Danish modernism.

Condition:

Ceramic bases in very good vintage condition with minor signs of age and use
Turquoise-blue glaze remains rich and beautifully preserved
Natural tonal variation throughout the glaze is characteristic of the ceramic firing process
Sculpted relief decoration remains crisp and well defined
Electrical components present; professional inspection according to local electrical standards recommended
Lampshades included as pictured

Details:

Designer: Attributed to Einar Johansen
Manufacturer: Søholm Stentøj
Material: Glazed stoneware / ceramic
Style: Danish Mid-Century Modern / Scandinavian Studio Ceramics
Era: circa 1960s–1970s
Origin: Bornholm, Denmark
Glaze: Turquoise blue with blue-green tonal variation
Decoration: Sculpted geometric relief
Overall Height: approx. 47 cm
Height Without Shade: approx. 33 cm
Lamp Base: approx. 15 × 15 cm
Electrical: Professional rewiring applied

Perfect for:

Styling as a pair on bedside tables, consoles, or matching side tables
Collectors of Søholm Stentøj and Danish studio ceramics
Adding a rich but sophisticated touch of turquoise to a neutral interior
Pairing with walnut, teak, travertine, linen, chrome, and other natural or mid-century materials
Creating symmetry within a bedroom, living room, library, or entrance setting

Design Notes:

The beauty of these lamps lies in the interaction between colour, texture, and light.

Their sculpted ceramic surfaces give the otherwise restrained cylindrical forms a strong architectural rhythm, while the turquoise glaze softens that geometry with layers of blue and green. As light moves across the relief, glaze gathers within the recessed areas and becomes lighter across the raised surfaces, allowing the lamps to reveal subtly different expressions throughout the day.

The colour is particularly compelling — more luminous and playful than the darker cobalt and brown palettes frequently encountered in Søholm’s mid-century ceramics, yet still unmistakably Scandinavian in its restraint.

Displayed together, the pair becomes almost architectural: two sculptural ceramic objects that function as much as collectible design pieces as they do lighting.

A beautiful example of Bornholm’s influential ceramic tradition and the expressive side of Danish mid-century modernism.