General Lighting Company / Case Study

The Visionease by General Lighting Company 

Arts & Architecture (1949)

Louis Danziger designed this ad, which ran in Arts and Architecture in 1949. 
The Marv Rand photo was taken in Case Study House 8 (The Eames House), while it was under construction.  

Merit specified for the Case Study House Program 

J.R. Davidson House (1950)
Source: Julius Shulman © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute



Ladislav Sutnar design for General Lighting Company

Source: MoMa


Although we know some great designers worked on the graphics for General Lighting, many of the lamp designs are just credited to the General Lighting Company, with no specific designer named. That's often the case when in-house designers are used.

One of those in-house designers was the company's president, Harry Handler (I bet that name was rough in junior high). 
He designed several versions of this gooseneck lamp for his company. 
 
There is a notable exception with this sconce design by George Nelson in 1947.


And this George Nelson design from 1947.

Source: Wright (Up for auction now!)


Nelson also designed this solid rod three arm version of the lamp. It was included in two different Walker Art Center publications, in 1949 and 1950.

So back to this lamp. 
Was Nelson's contribution the third "straight" arm, or did he design the Visionease as well?