A Pair Of Nickel-plated Brass Floor Lamps, By Philippe Barbier, Maison Barbier, France, 1970

Philippe Barbier

Renowned furniture designer and manufacturer, master craftsman Philippe Barbier worked in Paris throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He was known for his use of steel to enhance the shine of his pieces.

Barbier operated a small studio called Maison Barbier in central Paris, on Rue du Pré aux Clercs. In addition to making his own furniture, he also sold the work of other designers. Maison Barbier was notably the first to distribute the iconic 1968 Tam-Tam stool by French designer Henry Massonnet. Barbier was involved in the design of the stool, which is still in production today.

Philippe Barbier created table lamps that were highly regarded for their unique designs, often characterized by elegant curves and stone or polished metal bases. Their striking shapes attracted the attention of film directors, who used them, along with furniture and decor such as coffee tables and candlesticks, on the sets of numerous French films. Thus, Barbier’s lamps, tables and decorative objects appear in the background in The Return of the Tall Blond Man (1974), Fear in the City (1975), We Will All Go to Paradise (1977), The MAC (2010), In the House (2012) etc.