In autumn 2021, Louis Poulsen will be introducing Poul Henningsen’s PH 2/2 Question Mark in a limited edition. The Question Mark is a true testament to Poul Henningsen’s tradition of creating glare-free light and quality craftsmanship with functionality in mind. The limited edition comes in a brass finish paired with mouth-blown opal glass shades that create beautiful ambience and add character to any space.
Poul Henningsen designed the original PH 2/2 Question Mark lamp in 1931, based on his three-shade system from 1926, which perfectly combines a glare-free downward directed light with a pleasant upward glow. A classic, yet playful and figurative design that is unmistakably recognisable as a PH lamp crafted in beautiful mouth-blown glass for an ideal, soft ambience.
The lamp was given the name ‘Question Mark’ due to the expressive curvature of the lamp stem. The direction of the light could be adjusted by turning the handle on the middle of the stem. The PH 2/2 Question Mark was produced until the mid-1950s in brass and with different coloured glass shades, and with various shade holders.
This autumn, Louis Poulsen launches a limited edition of the PH 2/2 The Question Mark with a brass frame and opal glass shades. The PH 2/2 Question Mark continues to excite in the limited edition with its crafted details of a frame in brushed brass and the mouth-blown, triple-layered opal glass shades.
The lightly brushed brass frame has been left untreated as in the original lamp from 1931, allowing it to acquire a beautiful patina to enhance the table lamp’s authentic look and feel over time. Also made of brushed brass, a go-through switch is located on the stem near the base, alongside a brown textile cord that complements the exclusive design and emphasises its effortless elegance. PH’s initials are beautifully and discreetly engraved above the cord.
Staying true to the original design and still relevant to contemporary living, the function and flexibility of the table lamp is revealed through the elegant handle located on the middle of the stem’s curvature. The adjustable upper part of the lamp can be tilted 45 degrees to the right or left by turning the handle. This makes it possible to ensure comfort and direct the light wherever required, ideally for reading or other tasks.
The PH light model numbers refer to the shade size. In the ‘pure’ models, such as the 2/2, the top shade measures 20 cm, with corresponding lower shades. The proportions between the shades are roughly 3:2:1, which results in a rounder and more compact look compared to the ‘hybrid’ sizes such as the 2/1. The PH 2/2 table lamp fits easily into any home or office space due to its relatively small diameter. However, the characteristic question mark shape and the beautiful opal glass shades add a rich and distinctive dimension to the surrounding environment.
The limited edition of the PH 2/2 Question Mark will be available in stores from 1 October to 31 December 2021.
Poul Henningsen was born in Copenhagen to the famous Danish writer Agnes Henningsen. He never graduated as an architect, but studied at the Technical School in Frederiksberg from 1911-14 and then at the Technical College in Copenhagen from 1914-17. He started designing traditional functionalistic architecture, but over the years he changed his professional focus to concentrate on lighting, which is what he is most famous for.
He also expanded professionally into writing, becoming a journalist and an author. For a short period at the beginning of World War II, he was head architect of the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. But like many other creative people, he was forced to flee Denmark during the German occupation. However, he soon became an important member of the Danish colony of artists living in Sweden.
His lifelong collaboration with Louis Poulsen began in 1925 and lasted until his death. To this day, Louis Poulsen still benefits from his genius. Poul Henningsen was also the first editor of the company magazine NYT. Sophus Kaastrup-Olsen, CEO of Louis Poulsen at the time, gave the magazine to PH as a gift because he had been terminated from the Danish newspaper for which he worked (in the opinion of the newspaper management, his opinions were too radical).
Poul Henningsen’s pioneering work on the relationship between light structures, shadows, glare and colour reproduction and man’s need for light remains the foundation of the lighting theories still practised by Louis Poulsen.
Founded in 1874, the Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen creates products that encompass the duality of design and light. Every detail in the design has a purpose. Every design starts and ends with light. Louis Poulsen offers a range of lighting aimed at the commercial and domestic lighting markets, with lights and solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications. In close partnership with designers, architects and other talents like Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øivind Slaatto, Alfred Homann, Oki Sato and Louise Campbell, Louis Poulsen has established itself as one of the key global suppliers of architectural and decorative lighting and has a global presence with dedicated showrooms in Copenhagen, Miami, Oslo, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Dusseldorf.