Paavo Tynell was an industrial designer, known as the great pioneer of Finnish lighting design and fondly dubbed “the man who illuminated Finland.” Tynell was one of the founders and chief designers of Taito Oy — the first industrial producer of lamps and other lighting fixtures in Finland. With the innovation of electricity in the beginning of the 20th century, Taito Oy and Tynell expanded the thinking and manufacturing of modern lighting solutions in Europe and abroad.
Tynell rose to prominence in the 1930s and 1940s, during which he collaborated with some of the most renowned Finnish architects, Alvar Aalto being the most notable one. Working to incorporate artificial lighting into modern environments, Tynell’s company Taito Oy produced fixtures for all of Aalto’s major projects including the Paimio Sanatorium and the Viipuri Library.
Tynell was especially praised for his involvement with the Finland House, a design atelier in New York that showcased the work of Finnish designers and craftspeople. His elegant brass designs became an instant success in North America, and he began creating lighting designs for the prestigious American company Lightolier.
A master craftsman, Tynell’s designs were derivative of a traditional aesthetic with a modern sensibility, mixed with an extensive use of perforated and polished brass. Marked by delicacy and softness, his most famous forms in lighting echo the structures of nature; he adroitly created sculptural shapes reminiscent of the branches of trees, swirling snowflakes and seashells.
Find antique Paavo Tynell chandeliers and pendants, floor lamps and other lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Side Gallery)
Rare Commissioned Paavo Tynell Perforated Brass Table Lamp, Taito Oy, 1950s
By Taito Oy, Paavo Tynell
Located in Helsinki, FI
An exceptionally rare commissioned table lamp by Paavo Tynell, combining elements from several known models with a unique perforated cone shade not found in standard production. Comp...
Brass
Paavo Tynell Helmet Table Lamp 9209 in Perforated Brass & Rattan, Taito 1950s
By Taito Oy, Paavo Tynell
Located in Helsinki, FI
One of the most iconic Tynell lamp designs. This elegant table lamp is nicknamed the "helmet" or Kypärä in Finnish due to the resemblance with helmets. The lamp features a perforated...
Brass
Paavo Tynell Perforated Brass 'Umbrella' Table Lamp Model 5061, Taito 1940s
By Paavo Tynell, Taito Oy
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful Paavo Tynell table lamp model 5061 in full brass and a gorgeous original patina that gives the lamp a beautiful rough look. The item can be polished upon request, but we ...
Brass
Paavo Tynell Perforated Brass and Rattan Table Lamp 9208, Taito 1940s
By Paavo Tynell, Taito Oy
Located in Helsinki, FI
The distinctive reflector on this iconic Paavo Tynell table lamp gave it a few nicknames such as the cow's bell, church bell, hat lamp or even Snufkin after the character in the Moom...
Brass
Paavo Tynell Helmet Table Lamp 9209 in Perforated Brass & Rattan, Taito 1950s
By Taito Oy, Paavo Tynell
Located in Helsinki, FI
One of the most iconic Tynell lamp designs. This elegant table lamp is nicknamed the "helmet" or Kypärä in Finnish due to the resemblance with helmets. The lamp features a perforated...
Brass
Paavo Tynell Table Lamp Model 5066, Perforated Brass, Rattan & Wood, Taito 1950s
By Paavo Tynell, Taito Oy
Located in Helsinki, FI
This table lamp, model no. 5066 by Paavo Tynell for Taito Oy from the 1950s is a classic. It has a brass round stand, a hard wooden leg and a beautiful clean lined light mahogany col...
Brass
Swedish Midcentury Table Lamp in Perforated Brass
By Boréns Borås
Located in Karlstad, SE
Swedish mid century table lamp model 8458 by Boréns, Sweden. The design features a slender brass stem with a tapered teak accent, adding warmth and elegance. The conical brass shade ...
Brass
Kypärä Table Lamp by Paavo Tynell, Brass & Cane, Mid Century, Finland
By Paavo Tynell
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This very rare table lamp, model Kypärä No. 9209, designed by Paavo Tynell and produced by Taito Oy in Finland during the 1940s, is a striking example of the refined and poetic sensi...
Brass
Paavo Tynell for Taito Oy '5066' Table Lamp in Perforated Brass
By Taito Oy, Paavo Tynell
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paavo Tynell for Taito Oy, table lamp, model '5066', brass, beech, silk fabric, Finland, 1950s Paavo Tynell and the Art of Illumination Few designers contributed more to the deve...
Brass
Danish mid century modernist table lamp, perforated brass, 1940s
Located in Forserum, SE
A decorative Scandinavian modernist table lamp, produced by an unidentified Danish manufacturer in the 1940s. The lamp is constructed almost entirely from brass and features a round ...
Brass
Paavo Tynell Model 9208 Brass and Rattan Table Lamp for Taito Oy
By Taito Oy, Paavo Tynell
Located in New York, NY
Table lamp model 9208 by Paavo Tynell for Taito Oy, Finland, 1940s. A rare and highly sought-after model 9208 table lamp by Paavo Tynell, produced by Taito Oy, Finland, circa 1940s....
Brass
Swedish Midcentury Table Lamp in Perforated Brass
By Boréns Borås
Located in Karlstad, SE
Introducing a Swedish Mid-Century Modern table lamp from the brand Boréns. Made of perforated brass, it emits a warm ambient light. Boréns is a well-known manufacturer of high-qualit...
Brass
