STEPH SIMON (1902–1982) (GALLERY) & PIECES BY SERGE MOUILLE (1922–1988)...

STEPH SIMON (1902–1982) (GALLERY) & PIECES BY SERGE MOUILLE (1922–1988) AND ISAMU NOGUCHI (1904–1988). Desk lamp with adjustable lighting. The “Tuyau”-style spotlight (designed by Serge Mouille), the rounded circular base (designed by Isamu Noguchi), and the double-jointed arm are made of black lacquered metal. The ball joint is made of a metal alloy; it has a conical socket. Complete with its original switch. Circa 1959–1960. The base is marked “40A” on the reverse. Height: ± 40 cm. “Tuyau”: Length 24.8 cm – Diameter 12.5 cm. Condition: shows normal wear and restoration; scattered minor distortions; lamp entirely repainted in non-original black lacquer; the hex nut at the base of the stem may have replaced a round clamping ring. Bibliography: Pierre-Émile Pralus – Serge Mouille; A French Classic – Les Éditions du Mont Thou, Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or, 2006. An identical lamp, with a different ball joint, is shown on page 239; a ball joint identical to that of our lamp can be seen on another lamp shown on the same page. Note: In 1959–1960, while Serge Mouille was stepping back from business for health reasons, Steph Simon marketed several types of lamps incorporating elements designed by Serge Mouille, on the one hand, and by Isamu Noguchi, on the other, including our lamp model; doing so with a certain degree of freedom in the selection and use of arms and/or ball joints not designed by the artist. Expert: Emmanuel Eyraud