George Nelson's bubble lamps have become symbols of the period. He designed them in 1947, and they were in production until the late 1970s. He never gave specific names to the lamps. Rather, they were referred to by numbers. The large saucer was, for example, known only as "Bubble Lamp H-727." When Modernica was allowed to reissue the lamps in the 1990s, they gave them the names Ball, Saucer, Pear, Cigar, etc. In 1998, Modernica received all the original tooling from Herman Miller, and they distribute the lamps worldwide.
Isamu Noguchi designed his well-known cylinder lamp in 1944 and began working on Akari lighting in 1951. In an interview, he explained:
Other lighting designers whose lamps and fixtures are synonymous with mid-century are Marion Geller, Gilbert Watrous and Gerald Thurston. Variations of their designs have become so widely recognized that we sometimes forget their innovative ideas revolutionized modern lighting. Their use of tripod bases, cone-shaped, perforated and dome shades in plastic, metal and glass became the standard for much mid-century lighting style.
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| George Nelson lighting display offered to retailers free of charge by Herman Miller From a sales brochure, c. 1968 georgenelson.org |
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| Isamu Noguchi's cylinder lamp noguchi.org |
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| Marion Geller's flying saucer-shaped reflector lamp with tripod base artnet.com |
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| Poul Henningsen's artichoke light designlamps.com |
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| Gerald Thurston's tripod lamp 1stdibs.com |
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| Gilbert Watrous's ball-and-socket lamp with magnet that held the ball in any position 1stdibs.com |
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