Mid-Century Lamp found in Arts & Architecture Magazine

After a long day we decided to take a break and flip through some Arts & Architecture magazines. Shannon was just perusing when she noticed an ad in the lower left hand corner of the page. In the October 1950 issue she found a Lam Workshop Inc. advertisement, which features four different designs that were available at the time. One of the designs is an item we are selling in the May 23, 2010 Modern Art & Design auction, the LL-130 Molded Fiberglass Lite-Table. We, however, cataloged it as just an ordinary lamp, but this isn’t just an ordinary lamp! This lamp is actually a table, which is fabulously illustrated in the ad. It was just luck that Shannon flipped to this page and noticed the ad. If she hadn’t noticed the ad, we probably wouldn’t have known that this lamp actually functioned as a table to light up glasses and bottles. Additionally, the ad states that these four designs were “specified for CS House 1950”, meaning these four designs were specifically built to be placed in the Case Study house built that year.

This table will be offered in the upcoming May 23, 2010 Auction and is estimated at $1,500 – 2,000.

Arts & Architecture October 1950

Lam Workshop Inc. Advertisement on page 20 of October 1950 issue

LL-130 Molded Fiberglass Lite-Table from Lam Workshop Inc.

LL-130 Molded Fiberglass Lite-Table from Lam Workshop Inc., To be offered in May 23, 2010 Auction, Estimate $1,500 - 2,000

A. Quincy Jones, Sascha Brastoff Ceramics Factory built 1953

Lately we have been very focused on the material from the A. Quincy Jones collection, and today a LAMA Blog reader brought even more A. Quincy Jones information to our attention. After scouring the internet for a basic background on the Brastoff Ceramics Factory, I completely forgot about A. Quincy Jones’ personal portfolio of his projects that was compiled in his office in the early 1970s. Lo and behold I found detailed information on the Brastoff Ceramics Factory, in addition to Julius Shulman photographs of the exterior and interior of the building.

In 1953 A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons, Jones’ partner in several projects, constructed the Sascha Brastoff Ceramics Factory, which was located on 11520 West Olympic Boulevard in Los Angeles. Unfortunately the building was torn down in the 1981. In the A. Quincy Jones portfolio the description of the building states, “The architects developed a portion of the manufacturing facility to serve as a continuing demonstration of the work that went on in production.” In addition special stairs and a viewing pad were installed for visitors to watch ceramic production. Also, exposed pipes and ducts were painted in colors to define function and bring a light feeling to those who visited the factory.

Plans and illustrations of the factory were featured in Arts & Architecture Magazine July 1953.  The building was also featured in Progressive Architecture in 1954. An original copy of the July 1953 Arts & Architecture was also in the A. Quincy Jones collection, so I took a photograph of the article for further reference.

Here are Julius Shulman photographs of the Brastoff Cermaics Factory from the A. Quincy Jones collection that will be offered in the upcoming Spring 2010 LAMA Auction.

Exterior of Brastoff Factory, Reprodution of Julius Shulman Print

Original Article of the Brastoff Ceramics Factory in the Arts & Architecture July 1953 Issue

Ceramic Production in the Sascha Brastoff Factory, Julius Shulman Photograph

Brastoff Factory, Julius Shulman Photograph

Interior Gallery Brastoff Factory, Julius Shulman Photograph

Julius Shulman Stamp