The light bulb has been a constant source of inspiration for the lighting designers of Ingo Maurer. Ingo Maurer’s career began in 1966 with the “Bulb”, a tribute to the light bulb. With ‘b.bulb’, Ingo Maurer is now launching a new generation of the ‘Bulb’ family. In keeping with the megatrend of mobility, it is a battery-operated version of the design classic. As a mobile companion, it follows its owner everywhere, from the bedroom to the living room, to the terrace or a picnic in the country. Its flexibility comes not only from its rechargeable battery, but also from its shatterproof glass head and splash-proof protection. Like the original from 1966, the 20 cm tall “b.bulb” is made of noble materials such as a chrome-plated aluminium base and a glass body. In contrast to the “Ingo Maurer Bulb“, the latter is not transparent but matt and thus provides a warm, soft light. Thanks to “dim to warm” technology, the “b.bulb” adapts to any lighting situation. The efficient LED technology ensures that the battery lasts up to 10 hours at full power. The battery as well as the LED unit and glass head are available as spare parts and can be replaced as the components are mostly screwed together and not glued or welded. The “b.bulb” is almost completely dismantleable and recyclable into its components such as the aluminium base and lamp head made of glass, metal and electronics. “We attach great importance to sustainability in our new products, which is why recycling and purity of type play an increasingly important role,” explains Claude Maurer, Managing Director of Ingo Maurer.
It all began with the “Ingo Maurer Bulb” from 1966. It was the starting signal for his work as a product designer. The oversized homage to the light bulb was created in Venice. “My father liked to tell about the moment of inspiration: after a fantastic meal and a bottle of red wine, he was lying on the bed in his cheap hotel room. Above him floated a naked 15-watt light bulb whose beauty touched him. He immediately fell in love with this mixture of poetry and technology – a love that stayed with him for the rest of his life,” Claude Maurer describes the decisive moment. He developed the idea to exaggerate the bulb, went to Murano and had a glass and a base made there – thus an icon of the Pop Art era was born. The oversized light bulb was included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York as early as 1969. Again and again, different glasses, sizes and colours as well as special editions with handmade insect models completed the series. Especially popular was the 56 cm high “Giant Bulb”, which was also launched in the 1960s. The original “Bulb” table lamp from 1966 is still produced today with mouth-blown crystal glass from Murano.
Ingo Maurer GmbH has been an owner-managed company for the development and production of extraordinary design lamps for over 50 years. In addition, the company has made its mark internationally with the realisation of design commissions in both the private and public sectors. Among the best-known designs for series production are Bulb (1966), the Ingo Maurer YaYaHo low-voltage system (1984) and the Ingo Maurer Lucellino wing lamp (1992). The lighting of the “Westfriedhof” (1998) and “Münchner Freiheit” (2009) underground stations in Munich, as well as the “Flying to Peace” pendulum for the Frankfurt Trade Fair (2018) and the “Silver Cloud” for the Munich Residenztheater (2019) are just a few highlights on the long list of commissioned works and spectacular one-off pieces for private clients and public buildings. Following the death of founder Ingo Maurer on 21 October 2019, Maurer’s daughter Claude, who had already been managing director at his side since 2011, is leading the family business in close coordination with the team that has grown over many years.
