Wacky and Wonderful Light Fixtures of the 1960s
The James Salter Style in Phoenix
We're huge fans of wacky lighting here at Modern Phoenix, and its always fun to drive around town and catch some head-turning lamps at night. What I didn't know until recently, however, is that head of the Interior Design department of Haver, Nunn & Associates James Salter AIA was responsible for so many of them! Story goes that his wacky mottled-glass and curly bent steel lanterns and chandeliers were a hot commodity in the 1960s -- often imitated, never duplicated!
Haver's firm manufactured the lanterns in-house, and kept them a closely-guarded signature element, refusing to sell them for retail but rather keeping them to demonstrate the distinctively swank Haver & Nunn style. After Salter tragically died in the mid-60s (taking much of the high-exuberance style of the Ciné Capr/Kon Tiki era with him) his lighting designs continued to be used all around town, especially in the new crop of apartments and condos springing up.
I can't guarantee you that ALL of the lamps shown here are from Salter's stock of design, but they sure have the telltale characteristics that we see on many Haver & Nunn projects. Enjoy, and please send me your own wacky lamp photos if you can snag a few!
Entry lantern at Avenida Hermosa by Haver, Nunn and Jensen AIA 1971, seen all over town at other condo complexes especially developments for Del Trailor.
A rare example of a blue beauty inside the That's a Wrap restaurant at Camelback and 3rd Street (former home of Lola Tapas). There are about a dozen of these curly style lamps in the area between the restuarant and dance studio next door.
Sunnyslope private residence, it's much larger than it looks.
Sunnyslope private residence
Basic rectangle (submitted by
Robert Sentinery)
Strawberry pendants at Arcadia Green by Pierson and Miller AIA
At the Shaffer house by Ard Hoyt in Clearwater Hills
Green Lanterns at a duplex on 12th street suspected to be a "12th Street Gang" (Haver) project
Chandelier from Boutell's Furniture in Minneapolis by Haver & Nunn
Porch light at Keresan Villas in Canal North
Porch light at Keresan Villas in Canal North
Ocotillo Hills, Sunnyslope
Photos copyright 2011 Alison King
