Hidden treasure in the F&M Orient
Few people know that when Jo Hammerborg‘s Orient pendant light first appeared on the market in the early 1960s, the range included a version of the Orient Minor (far left in the picture below) made of solid sterling silver and retailing at more than 10 times the price of other lamps in the line.
An April 1963 Fog & Morup catalogue lists the complete Orient range with prices in Danish kroner (Dkr), US dollars (USD) and UK pounds (GBP in pounds, shillings and pence) as follows:
Orient Minor (diameter 22.5cm, height 25cm) | |||
E 2358/40 Copper | Dkr 84.00 | USD 12.25 | GBP 4.7.0 |
E 2360/80 Aluminium | Dkr 65.25 | USD 9.45 | GBP 3.7.6 |
E 2360/84 Anodised brown | Dkr 71.50 | USD 10.35 | GBP 3.15.0 |
E 2360/85 Anodised slate | Dkr 71.50 | USD 10.35 | GBP 3.15.0 |
E 2363 Sterling silver | Dkr 866.00 | USD 125.70 | GBP 44.15.0 |
Orient Major (diameter 38cm, height 34cm) | |||
E 2359/40 Copper | Dkr 134.50 | USD 19.50 | GBP 6.19.6 |
E 2361/80 Aluminium | Dkr 84.00 | USD 12.25 | GBP 4.7.0 |
E 2361/84 Anodised brown | Price not given | ||
E 2361/85 Anodised slate | Price not given |
There is, however, no sign of either the sterling silver or the anodised metal variants in a 1965 advertisement for the Orient (pictured above), and no mention of them in any subsequent F&M catalogues or advertisements in our possession. While the copper and aluminium versions of the Orient remained in production in both Major and Minor sizes until at least 1974, the anodised metal and solid silver editions never appeared again.