Vintage pendant lamp by Jo Hammerborg for Fog and Mørup, Denmark 1960

Jo Hammerborg's Vega pendant lamp, designed for Fog and Mørup in 1968, bears witness more clearly than any other Hammerborg creation to the eight years he spent, from 1949 to 1957, as a goldsmith at Georg Jensen. The flowing organic lines of the objects and jewelry he worked on for designers such as Henning Koppel clearly influenced the Vega's elegant hourglass shape, as did the contrasting textures of its spun aluminum surface and bright chrome waist, while the lamp's spare beauty and functional efficiency place it firmly in the arena of Hammerborg's own international modernism. Measuring 40 cm in diameter and 55 cm in height, the Vega is a spectacular piece that complements both modernist and space-age interiors. It is both up-lighting and down-lighting, and can be powered by two standard E27 Edison screw bulbs of up to 100 watts each. Good vintage condition with some minor scratches as can be seen in the detailed images. Johannes (Jo) Hammerborg grew up on the outskirts of Randers, in a middle-class family. He trained as a goldsmith, took part in the Danish resistance and freedom struggle in 1940-1945 as a saboteur, studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and worked as a goldsmith at Georg Jensen. In 1957, he was hired as chief designer at lamp manufacturer Fog Reference : 301846