The Little Hermit Crab

The Hermit Crab - Set of Two is an established family member of our Heritage Collection. Now, we would like to introduce its ‘smaller brother’ - the Little Hermit Crab, sold individually.

Found in a warehouse in the harbor of Rotterdam, this Zeiss Ikon lighting fixture was designed by Adolf Meyer, a renowned Bauhaus architect and assistant of Peter Behrens - a major leader in the Bauhaus movement promoting modernism in industrial design. 

At the beginning of the 1930’s, Adolf Meyer received an order to develop and fabricate lighting fixtures that both direct and amplify the light source, and are minimalist in their design. The intended result was achieved by applying a layer of pure silver as a reflective surface on the inside of a sleek glass shade that intensified the light provided. The use of this type of reflective surface is a characteristic element of Zeiss production. 

Made with a porcelain base and its mirrored glass shade, the Little Hermit Crab is a former factory fixture that lives on as a true design classic today. The Little Hermit Crab is available as a pendant, wall, or ceiling lighting source.

Gem Oyster and Vampire Bat 

The Gem Oyster is a sister to our Diamond Oyster. It is a wall fixture featuring an E27 porcelain socket-base, topped off with a cross-cut diamond glass bowl, and could also be mounted on the ceiling. The specially tooled glass dome adds a playful elegance to the overall simplicity of the fixture. The minimalist and classic refinement of the Gem Oyster makes it an easy lighting option for a multitude of interior styles and uses. 

The Vampire Bat served as a theatre lamp in its past life, and has been reintroduced as part of our Heritage collection. The eight Vampire Bats that we’ve recently added have been slightly modified and look somewhat different from our original Vampire Bat. For example, the slender steel-plated body is now a deeper black. And, as the original glass panes and grid on the newly added lamps were missing, we’ve replaced them with five panes of wired glass, blending beautifully with the overall design. We were able to keep the original five porcelain E27 sockets and all in all, we’re really happy with the look and feel of our latest version of the Vampire Bat. 

Lights Restored in Tribute to their Former Glory

We always aim to restore our lights carefully with the honor they deserve and with respect for their past. Most of the time, we choose to restore fixtures to good working order, complete with any flaws or patina they’ve gained over time. But with some lights, we’ve had the feeling that they deserve an extra helping hand. So we’ve taken the liberty to intervene and bring these lights back to their original color and lustre. Two examples of our handiwork in merging the past with the present are the Flying Dragon and the Green Beetle.

Fixtures With a History and an Extra Added New Dimension

We also have a few lights which we’ve modified with an extra feature and/or function. For instance the table versions of the True Oyster and the Black Squirrel. For both of these lights, we’ve designed a desk version that is now available, with or without the option of a dimmer switch. Both are small, which makes them perfect as a table lamp or night light. Another example is the Moose fluorescent pendant light, now also available in our Heritage Collection as a Moose wall fixture that doubles as a stunning design piece. Actually, wall mounting was often the original choice for positioning the Moose, as found in abandoned factories where it was originally used.

See Something that You Like?

If you click on the name of any of the lighting fixtures presented in this post, you’ll be directed to the product page on our website where you’ll find details on the dimensions and weight, as well as the history and design of each fixture. You can also contact us anytime by email or phone, if you have questions or comments. We welcome your curiosity and feedback!

As always - we’re standing by! 

The Blom & Blom Team