Flowerpot Lamp by Verner Panton (1968)

The Flowerpot lamp was designed by Verner Panton in 1968 and is today produced by Danish design company &Tradition.

The lamp was originally produced by Louis Poulsen and subsequently by Unique Interior between 2008 and 2011, before &Tradition took over production from 2011 onwards.

The design consists of two semi-circular spheres facing each other: the upper sphere is twice the diameter of the lower one.

The lower sphere conceals the light source, while its inner surface functions as a coloured reflector. The two shades are deep-drawn from a single piece of metal — in the original lacquered steel version — and the lamp is available in an extensive range of colours with matching cord.

The series has expanded considerably from its original form. Current models include the VP1 pendant, the VP3 table lamp, the VP4 mini pendant, the VP8 wall lamp, and the VP9 portable rechargeable table lamp. The portable VP9, introduced later, uses polycarbonate rather than steel, features a 3-level touch dimmer, and operates for approximately 10 hours on a full charge.

Verner Panton (1926–1998) graduated as an architect from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen in 1951, and worked briefly with Arne Jacobsen before founding his own studio. He is best known for the Panton Chair — the first chair produced from a single piece of plastic — introduced in 1967 through Vitra. His work is characterised by an experimental use of colour, form, and materials. His major interior installations include the Visiona environments for the Cologne Furniture Fair (1968 and 1970) and the Spiegel publishing headquarters in Hamburg (1969).

&Tradition was founded in Copenhagen in 2010 with the aim of bringing heritage design together with contemporary work. The company has a broad catalogue spanning designs from the 1930s to the present.