Swedish designer-siblings Uno Kristiansson and Östen Kristiansson are best known to collectors of vintage furniture for their imaginative lighting and mirrors. As partners, Uno & Östen Kristiansson united high-quality, practical Scandinavian modern design with fresh innovation.
Uno and Östen Kristiansson were born in southern Sweden. Their father was a furniture maker who owned a workshop — Vittsjo — that was named for the village in which it was located. In 1950, Uno opened his workshop in the same village. He called his company Luxus and brought his younger brother Östen on board as a designer and builder.
Like lots of designers of the era, the Kristianssons favored traditional teak wood but also employed more forward-looking materials such as glass, acrylic, leather and plastic. While their work spoke to the organic forms and craftsmanship that is typical of many Scandinavian modern designers, the brothers created minimalist oak mirrors and shapely pine wall lights — which often featured an integration of rattan — that set them apart from other artisans in their field.
Around 1966, Östen took over their father’s workshop and renamed it Östen Kristiansson AB. He eventually returned the company’s name to Vittsjo.
After 1970, Uno and Östen Kristiansson focused primarily on lamps and mirrors. They designed most of these works in acrylic, and wood became more of a secondary material in their composition. Collectors and interior designers continue to prize the many inventive furnishings they produced.
Find vintage Uno & Östen Kristiansson table lamps, wall lights and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Raketen Table Lamp by Luxus, Sweden, 1960s
By Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus Vittsjö
Located in Stockholm, Stockholms län
Rocket shape table lamp model B129 designed by Unö & Östen Kristiansson for their own company Luxus. Manufactured at Vittsjö in Sweden during the 1960s. The lamp is made from solid ...
Acrylic, Oak
Rare Table lamp by Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus, Sweden
By Luxus Vittsjö, Uno & Östen Kristiansson
Located in Göteborg, SE
Rare and beautiful table lamp by Uno & Östen Kristiansson for Luxus, with two light sources. Frame in oak, cylindrical shade in acrylic. Height 79 cm.
Acrylic, Oak
Rocket Table Lamp by Luxus, Sweden, 1960s
By Östen Kristiansson, Luxus Vittsjö, Uno Kristiansson
Located in Stockholm, Stockholms län
Rocket shape table lamp model B129 designed by Unö & Östen Kristiansson for their own company Luxus. Manufactured at Vittsjö in Sweden during the 1960s. The lamp is made from dark wo...
Acrylic, Wood
$2,061
H 30.71 in Dm 11.82 in
Rare Oak and Plexiglass Tripod Floor Lamp by Uno & Östen Kristiansson for Luxus
By Luxus Vittsjö, Uno & Östen Kristiansson
Located in Steenwijk, NL
This fabulous shaped and rare floor lamp was designed by Uno & Östen Kristiansson for Luxus in the 1950's or 1960's. It has a tripod base made of oil treated oak with a Plexiglass tu...
Plexiglass, Oak
Pair of Raketen Table Lamps by Luxus, Sweden, 1960s
By Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus Vittsjö
Located in Stockholm, Stockholms län
Pair of rocket shape "raketen" table lamps model B129 designed by the brothers Unö & Östen Kristiansson for their own company Luxus. Manufactured at Vittsjö in Sweden during the 1960...
Acrylic, Oak
$2,827
H 13.78 in W 5.91 in D 5.52 in
A Small MID-CENTURY-MODERN MODERNIST Tripod TABLE LAMP by ALFAPLEX, Italy 1950
By Alfaplex Milano
Located in PARIS, FR
A small tripod table lamp or night light, Modernist, Space-Age, Fifties, cylinder in white satin perspex diffusing light mounted on 3 elegant teak legs, stamped Alfaplex Milano, Ital...
Plexiglass, Teak
$4,720Sale Price|20% Off
H 36 in W 18 in D 18 in
Mid Century Modern Lightolier Tripod Custom Floor Lamp After Gerald Thurston MCM
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Peoria, AZ
Custom Lightolier Style Tripod Floor Reading Lamp Brass & Linen In the Manner of Gerald Thurston MAGNIFICENT! Here is a marvelous custom Lightolier styled tripod reading floor la...
Metal, Brass
$1,071Sale Price|35% Off
H 23.63 in Dm 13.78 in
Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Oak, Sweden
By Östen Kristiansson, Luxus of Sweden, Uno Kristiansson
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
Table lamp designed by Uno and Östen Kristiansson for Luxus in Vittsjö, Sweden during the 1950s. Solid oak base and shade in white cotton. Signed with label. In great condition witho...
Oak
$1,496
H 25 in W 18 in D 18 in
Mid Century Modern Lightolier Tripod Table Lamp Gerald Thurston 1954 "Profile"
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Peoria, AZ
MAGNIFICENT! Lightolier Tripod Table Lamp Brass & Walnut Gerald Thurston Designer 1954 Here is a marvelous Mid Century Modern Icon! The 1954 Tripod Brass & Walnut Table ...
Metal, Brass
1950s Modern Swedish Floor Lamp by Uno and Osten Kristiansson for Luxus
By Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus of Sweden
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Modern Floor lamp, composed of stained oak and acrylic, designed by Uno and Osten Kristiansson for Luxus in the 1950s. The piece was manufactured in Sweden. It measures 52 ...
Metal
Expertly Restored - Gerald Thurston Sculpted Tripod Table Lamp for Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Materials: Walnut Wood, Polished Brass, New Linen Shade, Enameled Metal ________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringin...
Brass, Metal
Expertly Restored-Mid-Century Modern Sculptural Table Lamp byR & J Manufacturing
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designer: R & J Manufacturing Manufacturer: R & J Manufacturing Materials: Walnut Stained-Mahogany Wood, New Custom Linen Shade, Brass Accents _____________________________...
Brass
Arthur Jacobs Sculpted Korina Wood Floor Lamp for Modeline of CA
By Arthur Jacobs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Materials: Korina Wood, Polished Brass, New Custom Linen Shade ________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history ...
Brass
Robert Sonneman Tripod Brass Floor Lamp for Lightolier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designer: Robert Sonneman Manufacturer: Lightolier
Metal, Brass
T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Model-170 Brass Tripod Table Lamp for Hansen
By T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Manufacturer: Hansen Lamps Inc. Materials: Polished Brass, New Linen Shade Dimensions: 21in H x 11.50in W x 11.50in D Lamp Shade: 8in H x 17.25in W x 17.25in D _____________________...
Brass
Arthur Jacobs Korina Wood Cylinder Table Lamp for Modeline of California
By Modeline Lamp Co., Arthur Jacobs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Materials: Korina Wood, New Linen Shade, Brass Accents ________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to...
Brass
