The Anglepoise brand lights are considered icons of British design and are extremely popular around the world. The history of Anglepoise began in the early 1930s when the industrial designer George Carwardine developed a work light that was flexibly adjustable and stable in any position thanks to a sophisticated, then-new tension spring system. Carwardine patented the innovative design. It was the first spring-loaded desk lamp ever.
The name “Anglepoise” is made up of the words “angle” and “attitude” or “balance”, in reference to the lamp's ability to hold any position securely.
Carwardine obtained the necessary springs from the company Herbert Terry & Sons, which liked the design and soon manufactured the lights under license. While the first model was an industrial work lamp, the “Model 1227” was developed in 1935, a lamp for use in private living areas. Since then, the Anglepoise range has been continually expanded with new designs and variants. But they all maintain the aesthetic and functional proximity to the original and thus make Anglepoise a brand with a clear character and high recognition value.
The spring balance system was so successful that it found many imitators - and had a lasting impact on the design of desk lamps.
Anglepoise is still run as a family business today. John and Simon Terry have been running the company since 2001. Under her leadership, the company was relocated from Redditch to Portsmouth and transformed into an internationally operating, modern brand. Collaborations with important contemporary British designers, including Paul Smith, Margaret Howell and Kenneth Grange, enrich the Anglepoise range with further icons.