Pierre cardin Part 2 (Lamps)

Part 2 of my Homage to Pierre Cardin is based on the lamps that bear his name. I have one such lamp on my site, its the coil or spring lamp made by the Laurel lamp company. The lamp is made from a thin sheet of brass coiled into a small spring shape with a milk glass shade that is attached to the brass (this lamp also comes in a chrome finish). The lamp does not have an etheched / laser cut name like the furniture but instead has a sticker with the Pierre Cardin signature on it.




The last time I was in NYC I was in a shop called "The Warehouse" , it's one of those uber swanky NYC shops that appear on the 1stdibs website and in their window they had the lamp photographed on the left. A few weeks prior to my trip to the USA I had seen one of these lamps come up for auction and I didn't bid as I felt it was too expensive for what I imagined it to be, obv being a guy I didnt read the dimensions or anything I just imagined it to be smallish. Anyway I walk into the shop and there is the same style lamp in the window and its huge, this lamp is about 2 feet wide or more and about 3 feet high or so. When I first saw it at the auction I liked it but thought it was a small lamp and overpriced so I didnt bid but when I saw it in the shop window I totally regretted that decision. This is in my humble opinion one of the nicest table lamps I have ever seen, its big, stylish, sexy and very impressive and its on my list of must haves for my own personal collection. I love this lamp.




The floor lamp photographed above was another Cardin lamp I had the opportunity to buy but this time I turned it down for a different reason. I really liked the lamp and I still do but the one I was offered was missing some of the beaded part which I felt killed the look of the lamp. It might be hard to see in this photo but the see through mesh part of this lamp is a series of vertical metal beaded strips. There are way more Pierre cardin lamps out there, google them for yourself and see what you think. I picked these three because I have a bit of history and some unfinshed business with them. I hope one day to buy the other two and settle these scores and if price and funds permit I hope I get to keep the middle one.

Again dont forget to check out my website www.mid-centuryonline.com or mail me any questions at killian@mid-centuryonline.com

Pierre Cardin week part 1

I am going to start off the new year by actually writing something in this blog and Ive decided to start by dedicating week one too Pierre Cardin and his designs (or at least the ones that bear his name). I am aware of the fact that Monsieur Cardin was famed for being the King of the license but I am going to overlook this fact and refer to anything that bears his name or logo as being a Pierre Cardin product.

I first came across his furniture range when I purchased a chocolate brown and chrome dining table and 8 chairs (pictured) through a great dealer I buy from in Philadelphia.

I was totally drawn to this table and set about researching Pierre Cardin furniture. It seems that his furniture which was available in the USA was made under license by the Dillingham manufacturing company. I also managed to buy the matching sideboard from this set which I have described to others as the furniture version of shoulder pads. To me it epitomises the glamour of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its serious and playfull all rolled into one.

I should point out at this point that when I buy furniture I dont buy it because I think I can sell it or because its cheap or whatever other reasons people come up with. I only buy things where I have a heart stopping emotional reaction to a piece of furniture, I can be flicking away through pages of furniture when suddenly something will stop me in my tracks and make me sit up and take notice. Pierre cardin furniture from the Dillingham range certainly caught my eye and started a serious love affair with furniture bearing the Cardin Name. I subsequently purchased a coffee table from the Dillingham range that proudly sits in our living room like a giant 4ft square immovable gorgeous lump of swanky fantasticness.

The furniture is generally constucted of particle board that is then lacquered and has chrome or brass accent pieces added. I should add that these metal accent pieces are very thin bits of metal and should only be polished by hand and never using a machine or anything that will generate heat as the accent pieces are backed with plastic. I believe the furniture of Pierre cardin is currently selling for less than it's true value and is certainly one to watch for the future. Any questions you have relating to Pierre cardin furniture or to find out what pieces we have in our current stock then please check our website www.mid-centuryonline.com or E-mail me on killian@mid-centuryonline.com