Greta von Nessen

Greta Von Nessen was born in Sweden in 1898. She was the daughter of an architect and studied at the School for Industrial Arts in Stockholm, Sweden. Grete married Walter Von Nessen, a German industrial designer best known for his cutting edge, Bauhaus-inspired lamp designs. In 1927 the couple immigrated to the US and established the Nessen Studios design firm in Manhattan's Murray Hill neighborhood. Greta worked alongside her husband Walter as he gained prominence in the New York design world, his career culminating in the design of a versatile swing arm lamp in 1927.

When Walter died in 1943, Greta decided to maintain Nessen Studios and continued designing lamps. During this time, she really came into her own, creating game changing designs out of components that had long been readily available. Her most famous design is the Anywhere Lamp which she designed in 1951. The iconic mushroom style lamp takes its cues from early modernism and the industrial era. These remain highly collectible today and there is one included in the permanent collection of MoMA.

Through her pioneering spirit and creativity, Von Nessen became one of the game changing designers in America, bringing industrial style to houses all over the country. Her adventuring spirit has influenced countless designers since.