George Carwardine invented a flexible task lamp in the early 1930s, leading to a collaboration with Anglepoise. The model 1208 used springs to provide directional light, reducing glare. The Original 1227, launched in 1935, catered to domestic use with a design that combined practicality and aesthetic appeal. Celebrating its 90th anniversary, the 1227 has been popular among artists and is considered an ideal task lamp in contemporary interiors, showcasing its timeless design and functionality in various spaces.
The resulting model 1208-an armlike system that used two of those springs at the elbow and two at the base-emitted directional light. "It solved a problem," says brand director Simon Terry, the fifth-generation custodian of Anglepoise. "It put light exactly where it was needed." A plus? With reduced glare, it was better for people's eyes.
Primarily made from lightweight aluminum, the piece channeled the emerging Machine Age aesthetic. "It looked like something from space," Terry says. "Odd, but hugely practical." Artists like Pablo Picasso and Barbara Hepworth installed them in their studios; British prime minister David Lloyd George used one as a reading light.
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