LIMITED ANNIVERSARY EDITION
BESTLITE 90
GUBI presents the ‘Bestlite 90’ anniversary collection, comprising a limited edition of 300 of each of the BL1 Table Lamp, the BL3 Floor Lamp, and the BL5 and BL7 Wall Lamps, each with its own uniquely numbered certificate.
The anniversary collection is finished in nickel, underscoring the early industrial use of the Bestlite. Nickel has a characteristic golden tint, bringing warmth and elegance to the anniversary edition lamps.
Designed by
Robert Dudley Best
When Robert Dudley Best inherited the world’s largest lighting manufacturing company, Best & Lloyd, from his father, he planned to update its collection, despite the prestige of projects for the likes of the Orient Express and the Titanic in its past.
Inspired by the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Design in Paris, his studies in Paris and Düsseldorf, and influential Modernist architects and designers such as Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Walter Gropius, he designed the Bestlite in 1930.
TIMELESS DESIGN
With both commercial and domestic use in mind, Robert D. Best believed that lighting should be functional and practical as well as elegant and the Bestlite was the first realization of that ambition.
Today, the Bestlite can be seen in respected establishments all over the world from the Danish National Theatre to the New York’s Wythe Hotel and Crosby Street Hotel and is held in the permanent collections of both the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Design Museum in London.
Bestlite in famous locations
The Bestlite was specified by renowned interior designer Betty Joel during a refurbishment of London’s Savoy Hotel in the mid 1930s. In 1934, the architect Wells Coates selected the Bestlite for his minimalist living experiment – the Isokon building in North London.
When the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, chose it for his wartime desk, its iconic status was confirmed. It found early success in specialized environments such as the engineering department of the British Royal Air Force and among mechanics in car repair shops.
Contemporary fans include designer and retailer Terence Conran, author Stephen Bayley and fashion designer Paul Smith.
The Bestlite BL1 – a table lamp – was the first example of a truly adjustable lamp. Originally designed specifically for diamond cutters in Birmingham’s jewellery quarters, it was ahead of its time when it was conceived in 1930. Since then, Bestlite has been illuminating the work of artisans all over the world for 90 years.
Explore the 90 Anniversary Edition
