Luis Pérez de la Oliva. Lamp for Phase

LUIS PEREZ DE LA OLIVA (Spain, mid-20th century) for FASE.
Table lamp, design 1966.
Metal, chrome and glass.
Measurements: 40 cm (height); 30 cm (shade diameter); 22 cm (base diameter).

Fase lamps are distinguished by their impeccable design, functionality and quality of materials. A true emblem of Spanish manufacturing, Fase has exported its lighting to more than 32 countries in the last 30 years.

Spanish lighting manufacturer Fase was founded in Madrid in 1964 by industrial designer Pedro Martín. Martín first sold his self-produced lamps in markets, before successfully establishing a factory in Torrejón de Ardoz, just outside Madrid. In the 1970s, Fase was a major player in the Spanish manufacturing industry, contributing to an economy struggling with oil crises and a difficult transition to democracy. Fase sold lighting for more than three decades to 32 different countries, with its largest markets being the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Canada and the United States. Despite Fase's commercial success, information about the company and its history is scarce and sources often contradictory.

Early Fase designs are considered modern, with original combinations of metals such as chrome and steel, with marble and wood, in a range of bright colors. Often, the fixtures could also be moved thanks to a sophisticated swivel system devised by early Fase designers, which soon became a trademark along with their glass diffusers. Important Fase designs include Boomerang 64, Boomerang 2000, 520, Faro and President, all of which are believed to have been designed in the 1960s.