Ateljé Lyktan Skarabé Vintage Swedish Clamp Lamp, Rare Red Variant

Swedish Modern Clamp Lamp, Ateljé Lyktan Skarabé, Red Lacquer, Chrome, Ultra Rare Colour and Form, 1970s

Highlights:
Manufacturer: Ateljé Lyktan, Åhus, Sweden
Model: Skarabé (Clamp version)
Period: 1970s
Origin: Åhus, Sweden
Style: Scandinavian Modern
Particulars: Double rarity — the clamp version of the Skarabé is the rarest mounting variant produced; red lacquer is one of the rarest colour variants of this model; chrome S-shaped arm; cylindrical red body with characteristic black spring coil detail; black asymmetric shade with integrated adjustment; T-form red desk clamp; GU5.3 socket (12V)
Ideal for: Desks, shelves, drafting tables, Scandinavian-style interiors, serious collectors of Swedish Mid-Century and Space Age lighting

Description:
Two rarities converge in this single object. The Ateljé Lyktan Skarabé is among the most recognisable and collected Swedish lighting designs of the 1970s — but within the Skarabé family, the clamp version stands apart. Where the table and floor variants are encountered with reasonable regularity on the vintage market, the Klemmleuchte — the clamp-mounted variant designed to attach to a desk edge or shelf — was produced in far smaller numbers and surfaces only rarely. This is already reason enough to take notice. The colour makes it exceptional.

Red is one of the rarest lacquer colours in the Skarabé range. The standard production colours — white, black, and various neutral tones — account for the overwhelming majority of surviving examples. Red examples, and particularly red clamp examples, represent a coincidence of two low-production variants that is genuinely unusual to encounter in a single piece.

The lamp is built around the Skarabé's characteristic cylindrical body — here in vivid red lacquer — encircled by the signature black spring coil detail that gives the model its distinctive silhouette and its name: the coiled body of a scarab beetle, rendered in industrial materials with the formal confidence of Scandinavian Modern design at its most assured. The chrome S-shaped arm connects body to clamp with an elegant Z-profile that holds the lamp at the ideal working angle, while the T-form red desk clamp provides secure and adjustable attachment to any desk or shelf edge. The black asymmetric shade above completes the composition with a directional precision that makes this as functional as it is beautiful.

Ateljé Lyktan, founded in Åhus, Sweden in 1934, shaped Scandinavian lighting design for decades through its commitment to quality manufacturing and enduring design. The Skarabé is one of the house's most celebrated designs — and this clamp variant in red is among the most collectable configurations it was produced in.

Condition:
The lamp is in very good vintage condition. The red lacquer is intact and vivid. The chrome arm is polished and shows only minimal age-appropriate patina. The black spring coil detail is complete. The clamp mechanism functions correctly. The electrical components should be inspected by a qualified electrician before use. The lamp operates on 12V (GU5.3) — a suitable transformer is required.

Details:
Manufacturer: Ateljé Lyktan, Åhus, Sweden
Model: Skarabé, clamp version (Klemmleuchte)
Period: 1970s
Style: Scandinavian Modern
Material: Lacquered steel (red), chrome, black lacquer
Mounting: T-form desk/shelf clamp, adjustable
Arm: Chrome S-profile
Body: Cylindrical red with black spring coil detail
Shade: Black asymmetric, adjustable
Socket: GU5.3 (12V — transformer required)
Condition: Very good vintage condition
Rarity: Double rarity — clamp version and red colour variant, both produced in very limited numbers

Note:
Please note: This item is a vintage lamp. It was manufactured many years ago and may not conform to current technical standards. Before use, the electrical components should be inspected and, if necessary, updated by a qualified electrician. Bulbs are only included if explicitly stated. This item is sold as a collectible/antique and not as a standards-compliant electrical appliance.