Seleny Madrid - Table lamp - Desk - Metal - folding






Art historian with extensive experience working at various auction houses in antiques.
€38 |
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Description from the seller
An Art Deco desk lamp by the Spanish firm Seleny Madrid, dating from the 1940s, of the typology “banker's lamp” or swing-arm desk lamp.
Description
Body in lacquered metal in military/olive green, with a hammered texture typical of the industrial production of the era. Rectangular elongated shade with a trapezoidal profile, with the sides at a closed angle that concentrate and direct light downward — a typical design for a bank or office desk lamp. The shade is articulated by a curved brass-brushed arm that allows the characteristic tilt/inclination of this model, ending in a cylindrical sleeve acting as a pivot.
The central stem, also lacquered metal, connects the shade to a rectangular, stepped-profile base with softened corners, in the same green lacquer. On the base are the original controls: a tan Bakelite toggle switch on the left and a black circular pushbutton on the right, both of characteristic manufacture of mid-century Spanish electrotechnics. The brass socket at the base of the stem completes the chromatic set metal lacquer/brass, a hallmark of late Art Deco.
Context and appraisal
Seleny was a Madrid-based company of lamps and lighting fixtures that operated actively during the second third of the 20th century, with a relevant presence in furnishing offices, banks and studios of the era — hence the “banker's lamp” typology, highly sought after in the market of vintage Spanish industrial design. The condition here is notable: tilt mechanism and both original controls are present, with the lacquer showing natural wear from use (some chips on edges) rather than structural damage.
This type of piece has good demand in the mid-20th-century Spanish industrial design collector market, especially among buyers seeking functional desk pieces with an authentic vintage character. The fact that the maker’s mark is still visible (if the label or marking “Seleny Madrid” is legible on the base or inside the shade) adds a traceability premium to highlight in the sales listing, since identified manufacturer pieces fetch higher prices than anonymous ones.
Certified shipping and careful packaging.
Seller's Story
An Art Deco desk lamp by the Spanish firm Seleny Madrid, dating from the 1940s, of the typology “banker's lamp” or swing-arm desk lamp.
Description
Body in lacquered metal in military/olive green, with a hammered texture typical of the industrial production of the era. Rectangular elongated shade with a trapezoidal profile, with the sides at a closed angle that concentrate and direct light downward — a typical design for a bank or office desk lamp. The shade is articulated by a curved brass-brushed arm that allows the characteristic tilt/inclination of this model, ending in a cylindrical sleeve acting as a pivot.
The central stem, also lacquered metal, connects the shade to a rectangular, stepped-profile base with softened corners, in the same green lacquer. On the base are the original controls: a tan Bakelite toggle switch on the left and a black circular pushbutton on the right, both of characteristic manufacture of mid-century Spanish electrotechnics. The brass socket at the base of the stem completes the chromatic set metal lacquer/brass, a hallmark of late Art Deco.
Context and appraisal
Seleny was a Madrid-based company of lamps and lighting fixtures that operated actively during the second third of the 20th century, with a relevant presence in furnishing offices, banks and studios of the era — hence the “banker's lamp” typology, highly sought after in the market of vintage Spanish industrial design. The condition here is notable: tilt mechanism and both original controls are present, with the lacquer showing natural wear from use (some chips on edges) rather than structural damage.
This type of piece has good demand in the mid-20th-century Spanish industrial design collector market, especially among buyers seeking functional desk pieces with an authentic vintage character. The fact that the maker’s mark is still visible (if the label or marking “Seleny Madrid” is legible on the base or inside the shade) adds a traceability premium to highlight in the sales listing, since identified manufacturer pieces fetch higher prices than anonymous ones.
Certified shipping and careful packaging.
