Ceramic Wall Sconce by Noomi Backhausen for Søholm, Denmark, 1960s

A ceramic wall sconce designed by Danish designer Noomi Backhausen for the Søholm Stentøj pottery on the island of Bornholm. The model exemplifies Danish modernist design of the 1960s, a period in which functional ceramics took on a three-dimensional, sculptural form. The distinctive composition of concentric circles combines the function of lighting with a decorative surface treatment. The fixture has a round, plate-like structure composed of several overlapping layers. A wide outer plate with a sandy, grainy surface surrounds a dark brown ring featuring a dense, radial pattern. The central section is designed as another concentric arrangement: a light, cool band of glaze transitions into a beige surface and another band with radially spreading incisions. The center is crowned by a dark, metallic detail. The middle, smallest ceramic panel was repaired.