Christian Dell

Christian Dell was a German silversmith and designer, best known for his desk lamps. He studied silversmithing at the Saxon College of Arts and Crafts in Weimar, where he graduated in 1913, before working at the Bauhaus in 1922 as a foreman in their metal workshop until 1925, when the Nazi party took control of the area.

His career really took off in 1926, when Dell began sketching lamps for Gebr Kaiser & Co. They launched their first catalogue in 1936. Featured in this catalogue was the table lamp Lexus 6631, which has since become the symbol of German design. Dell became well known for his exquisite choice of materials. As an early industrial designer, he used bakelite and amino plastics in his designs.

Notably, many of Dell’s lighting designs incorporate his own name into their titles. “Idell” is a blend of the word idea and the designer’s surname. Following the end of World War II and after a prolific career in product design, Christian Dell moved to Wiesbaden and manufactured silver goods. He also opened a jewellery store, which he operated from 1948 until 1955. He led a quiet life until his death in 1974.