1970s – West German Studio Ceramic – Table Lamp Base
Origin:
A striking table lamp base in the manner of Cari Zalloni's celebrated "Facette" series, produced by Steuler Keramik of West Germany during the late 1960s and 1970s. The form is defined by four bold horizontal lobes with softly squared, pillow-like profiles that taper into a smooth neck — a hallmark of the Facette design vocabulary. The entire body is finished in a deep, mirror-like black glaze, and the piece retains its original chrome bayonet-cap (BC) lamp holder. Unmarked on the visible surfaces; in the style of Cari Zalloni for Steuler, West Germany, circa 1970s.
Condition:
- Very good vintage condition overall
- Glaze is bright and highly reflective with no visible crazing or chips noted
- Original chrome BC lamp holder present and intact
- Sold as a base only — no shade included
- Rewiring recommended before use; buyer to verify compatibility with local electrical standards
Details:
- Material: High-gloss glazed ceramic / stoneware
- Glaze colour: Gloss black
- Lamp fitting: Chrome bayonet cap (BC) holder
- Form: Stacked multi-lobe "facette" body with tapered neck
- Era: circa 1970s
- Origin: West Germany (attributed)
- Shade: Not included
Perfect for:
- A dramatic bedside or side-table statement in a contemporary or maximalist interior
- Collectors of West German mid-century studio ceramics
- Moody, monochrome, or Art Deco-inspired room schemes
- Pairing with an oversized drum or empire shade for a bold sculptural effect
Design Notes:
Cari Zalloni's Facette lamps have become some of the most sought-after West German ceramics of the 1970s, prized for their architectural rigour and tactile, almost geological presence. The black glaze — rarer than the more common earth-tone editions — gives this example an especially graphic, contemporary edge that reads equally well in a modern Jeddah interior as it does in a European mid-century setting. A visually similar brown example is currently listed by Retro Living (UK), and a comparable black bubble lamp in the same spirit is listed on Chairish at $200, situating this rarer black Facette-style piece at a well-supported market value.