Stylish 50 anniversary for PH Artichoke

PH Artichoke celebrates its 50 anniversary, as fashionable as ever before. Louis Poulsen celebrates the anniversary by offering 50 units of the largest PH Artichoke with leaves gilded in 24-carat gold.

PH Artichoke ranks as one of the world's foremost icons of design and lighting. Through 50 years, the pendant with the botanical name has impressed its audience by its sculptural, organic design, clarified simplicity and warm, glarefree light. PH Artichoke manifests an ingenious design - bordering on art - completely justifying the gold finish.

PH Artichoke Gold appeals to customers looking for supreme lighting design - made as the ultimate, peerless version.

PH Artichoke Gold is set to become a collector's item. Louis Poulsen will only manufacture the limited number of 50 fixtures, all to be numbered. PH Artichoke Gold will only be made in the 840-mm-diameter version, and its offering price will be EUR 70,000 exclusive of VAT.

Originally, PH Artichoke was made for the Langeliniepavillonen restaurant at the Copenhagen waterfront, in which place visitors can still delight in the fixtures while enjoying a view of the Little Mermaid. Poul Henningsen was commissioned to create festive, warm lighting for the restaurant, and, even unlit, the fixtures should be decorative. The first PH Artichokes were made in copper, the classic version, which has remained in our range ever since.

PH Artichoke Gold adds an utterly new dimension to the fixture. Where the copper version appears with a brushed, slightly matt surface, the anniversary version has a high-lustre finish. The lustrous finish gives PH Artichoke Gold a graphic, exact idiom. At the same time, the gold finish intensifies and augments the warm, pleasant light distribution of the fixture.

The leaves of PH Artichoke Gold are first made in copper. The gilding process requires a shiny, flawless surface, and the 6 x 12 leaves are superfinished before being gilded. The gilding itself is a catalytic process where the leaves are immersed into chemically pure gold. An accurately controlled current is sent through the leaf, and the pure gold precipitates cathodically to the surface of the copper. As the final touch, the leaves are coated in clear varnish. The inner leaves are also gilded, but subsequently painted white to ensure optimum light distribution and illumination of the fixture itself. PH Artichoke Gold comes with a lampholder unit in high-lustre chrome-plated, spun aluminium. The fixture comes with a canopy.

PH Artichoke Gold should be experienced, not just described. The fixture is unique - a phenomenal tribute on a 50th anniversary.

PH Artichoke Gold will be presented at a number of international events during 2008.It will be showcased at the elegant Palazzo Madama in Turin, Italy, from 24 June to 6 July on the occasion of the UIA World Congress of Architecture.In September, it will be on display in Copenhagen.

PH Artichoke Gold is only sold by Louis Poulsen Lighting in Copenhagen. Please call or e-mail International Development Manager, Sune Arvad Kristensen, Louis Poulsen Lighting, tel. +45 22 61 74 35, e-mail: [email protected]. For further information please call or e-mail Press Manager Ida Praestegaard, Louis Poulsen Lighting, tel. +45 70 33 14 14/[email protected].

PH Artichoke is available as a standard fixture in copper or stainless steel, brushed and varnished or wet-painted in white.In 2008, a version in hand-made, sand-blown glass was added to the standard range.PH Artichoke comes in diameters of 840mm, 720mm, 600mm and 480mm.

Photos of PH Artichoke Gold and a Word-version of the press release are available at http://www.louispoulsen.com/in/News-Press/ph%20artichoke%20gold.aspx 

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