Edmond J Spence Sculptural Lamp

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Sculptural iron lamp by Edmond J Spence. Produced in 1952.

8″ x 8″ x 26.5″ high. New linen shade is 15″ wide x 8″ high.

Rewired

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Edmond J. Spence (1911-1986) was born in Montreal and followed several generations of his family that were also in the furniture business.

Spence, an architectural designer and production engineer, was based in New York in the 1940s. His first company was Spence-Rigolo Inc. It was later changed to Edmond J Spence Co when his future wife, Jean Watt Spence (1918-2010), bought architect Arthur Rigolo’s stake in the company. Jean was Vice President as well as a designer and color consultant.

The company designed for a wide range of major furniture makers. In the early 1950s, it was noted that Edmond was a champion on the ‘New Modern’ and hardly a store did not feature a Spence design.

Their work went beyond the US market. Swedish industrialist, Wolfgang Thomas, hired them to design an extensive line that was produced in 17 Swedish factories. In 1952, after the couple traveled to Mexico City, Industria Mueblera commissioned them to design furniture that would be produced by Mexican craftsmen. The line included 110 designs.

Edmond and Jean married in 1954 and they moved to Florida. They opened a retail space, Furniture Plaza, in 1958. The couple traveled the world and selected pieces to fill their award-winning 35,000 square foot showroom. The Spences sold Furniture Plaza in 1972 and moved to Gulf Stream, Florida. The couple were avid art collectors and philanthropists.