Modern Danish Lighting from Le Klint
P.V. Jensen Klint was an architect and also a far-sighted and visionary gentleman. He had designed a stoneware oil lamp which needed an appropriate shade. What does the gifted and curious designer do? He invents a unique product – a lamp shade with folding across the pleats.
P.V. Jensen was a Bachelor of Engineering, an architect and a painter. One must accentuate two achievements which still remain after his death. One is the Grundtvig Church in Copenhagen and the other is the cross pleated lamp shade which 40 years later went into production under the company name of LE KLINT.
Tage Klint, son of P.V. Jensen Klint, was the creative entrepreneur who in 1943 chose to turn the family's artistically folded lamp shades into a regular business. He also added a crucial detail to the original shades; the unique “collar” at the top of the lamp, designed to fix the shade to the metal stand. Furthermore, he designed a number of lamps which have all been a part of LE KLINT's assortment.
In 1953 his son, Jan Klint, took over the company. As a business man, he was years ahead of his time. In order to secure his employees, he created a fund which has since 1972 been in charge of the company LE KLINT. In addition, the fund supports former employees, designers and architects.
Indispensable Pleaters
The unique concept and the enterprising Klint family would not have been enough on their own, because without one particular resource, namely all the skilled pleaters at Le Klint, it would have been impossible to put the concept into actual production.
Assiduous, precise and highly dextrous, they have turned the designers' proposals and models into beautiful shades over the years. The pleaters are still there today – because no machine can ever replace craftsmanship.
