“Nift” Pendant Lamp — Kronobergs Belysning for IKEA, Sweden, 1963

Long before IKEA became a global household name, it was commissioning clever, well-designed objects from small Swedish manufacturers — and the Nift is one of the most characterful survivors of that early era. Produced by Kronobergs Belysning for IKEA Sweden in 1963, the Nift is constructed from four interlocking steel square sections — two lacquered yellow on the outside and white on the inside, and two painted white — each section precision-cut with slots that allow them to slide together without fixings, held in place by two steel tension ties.

The result is a lamp that looks like a three-dimensional puzzle — bold, geometric and unmistakably of its decade. The space age optimism of the 1960s is written into every angle of it. Unlit, it is a striking graphic object in yellow and white. Switched on, it becomes something else entirely — warm light escaping through the interlocking gaps in all directions, casting a pattern of light and shadow that makes the lamp’s geometry suddenly alive.

This example is in great condition with only a few small spots on the edge of one corner, as visible in the photographs. The lamp is fully functional and takes an E27 light source.

A rare and wonderfully characterful piece of early IKEA design history — and one that feels as fresh and bold today as it did over sixty years ago.