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Designer Fatih Arslan published a tour of the lamps in his home, describing their designers, history and role in his rooms. He says the lamps are expensive and may not be worth their prices to everyone, while noting that vintage shops and lower-cost alternatives can offer other ways to find distinctive lighting.
Designer Fatih Arslan has published a tour of the lamps in his home, featuring pieces by Artemide, Isamu Noguchi and Louis Poulsen, among other designers. The October 5 report describes the lamps’ design histories and practical details, while framing them as personal collectibles as well as sources of light.
Arslan says people who see lamps he shares on social media often ask him about their brands and models. He writes that his interest has grown to the point that he designed a lamp himself, and says the tour covers pieces he owns, with photographs taken in his house. He presents the collection in no particular order.
The selection includes the Artemide Tolomeo Mini, designed by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina in 1987, and the Tizio Micro, designed by Richard Sapper. Arslan notes that the Tolomeo received the Compasso d’Oro in 1989. He describes the Tizio’s counterweights and arms that carry electricity, allowing its position to be adjusted without wires running along them.
Several entries are from Noguchi’s Akari series, including the 1A, 3A, 16A and 75A. Arslan says his 1A was acquired secondhand in Germany and describes the series’ use of washi paper. He also features Poul Henningsen’s Louis Poulsen PH 5 and PH 3/2, as well as an Arne Jacobsen AJ wall lamp. The report mixes design history with his own experience, including the PH 3/2 glass shade he accidentally broke and had to wait months to replace.
Collecting Beyond Everyday Lighting
Arslan’s tour illustrates how a household object can serve both a practical purpose and a collecting interest. He openly distinguishes the two: these are not presented as necessary purchases for everyone, but as designs he values for their form, history and personal meaning. That perspective gives readers a way to understand why the collection includes costly lamps even when less expensive options exist.
The article also connects individual objects to broader design histories. The Tolomeo’s use on desks, Noguchi’s paper lantern forms and Henningsen’s multi-shade approach show different ways designers have addressed adjustability, softness of light and shape. These references may interest readers who recognize the lamps from homes, films or design collections, even if they do not plan to buy them.
For prospective buyers, Arslan’s price caveat matters: the piece does not make a case that designer lighting is necessary or that its cost is justified for every household. He says vintage shops and fairs can offer good prices, and points out that IKEA sells well-designed lamps at around a tenth of the cost of some designer pieces. His comments frame affordability as part of the story, rather than treating expensive objects as the only route to attractive lighting.
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From Desk Lamps to Akari
The lamps in Arslan’s account span several decades. Richard Sapper designed the Tizio in 1972 after wanting a better lamp for his own desk, according to Arslan. The original design uses the lamp’s arms to conduct electricity and counterweights to hold its position. The Micro is a smaller version. Arslan also describes using an adapter he designed to attach his Tolomeo Mini to a USM Haller desk.
Noguchi began the Akari series in 1951 after visiting Gifu, Japan, a city known for paper lanterns, Arslan writes. He says the lamps are made by hand at Ozeki, a family-run workshop in Gifu, using traditional methods. The featured models have different sizes and forms: Arslan describes the 3A as best suited to a low table or cabinet, while the roughly 75-centimeter-wide 75A takes up a more prominent place in his home.
Henningsen’s PH designs use several shades to soften light and limit direct views of the bulb, according to the report. The PH 3/2 uses mouth-blown glass, while the PH 5 was designed in 1958. Arslan says the PH 5’s name refers to its 50-centimeter shade. Jacobsen designed the AJ lamp in 1957 for Copenhagen’s SAS Royal Hotel, where he designed many elements of the interior, the report says.
“Are they worth it? Probably not for their price, but for me they are worth every penny.”
— Fatih Arslan
Prices and Buying Options Vary
The report does not provide purchase prices for the individual lamps, identify what Arslan paid for most of them or compare their current retail costs. It also does not name specific vintage shops or fairs where readers might find them. His estimate that IKEA lamps can cost around a tenth as much is a broad comparison, not a price survey; the models and prices being compared are not specified.
Arslan describes the collection from his own perspective, rather than presenting a market assessment or independent evaluation of the lamps’ value. The report also does not provide detailed information about the unfinished AJ wall-lamp description in the supplied material, including how Arslan uses its tilting feature. The account confirms his own experiences and design information as presented in the report, but does not independently document the objects’ provenance or condition.
No Further Announcement Listed
The October 5 report is a personal collection tour, not an announcement of a new lamp, product launch or planned exhibition. It does not set out a publication schedule or say whether Arslan intends to add further entries. Readers can use the piece as a guide to the lamps he discusses, but details such as current availability and prices would need to be checked with retailers or secondhand sellers.
For anyone considering a similar purchase, the distinctions Arslan raises offer a practical starting point: decide whether the priority is a particular design, the quality or character of its light, or simply a functional lamp. His account does not claim that a designer piece is needed to achieve good lighting, and it points readers toward vintage sellers and lower-cost alternatives as other options.
Key Questions
What did Fatih Arslan publish?
Arslan published a tour of lamps in his home, describing their designers, histories and features. He says the photographs in the report were taken in his house.
Which lamps appear in the tour?
The report features an Artemide Tolomeo Mini, a Tizio Micro, four Noguchi Akari models, Louis Poulsen PH 5 and PH 3/2 lamps, and an Arne Jacobsen AJ wall lamp.
Does Arslan say designer lamps are worth their price?
He says they are probably not worth their prices for everyone, but are worth the cost to him. He describes his interest as collecting as well as lighting.
What lower-cost options does the report mention?
Arslan says IKEA offers well-designed lamps at roughly a tenth of the price of some designer options, and that designer lamps can sometimes be found at vintage shops or fairs. The report does not give item-by-item price comparisons.
Source: hn
