Christian Dell

The designer Christian Dell undertook an apprenticeship as a silversmith from 1907 to 1911 and attended the Drawing Academy Hanau. Following completion of hi studies with Henry van de Velde at the Sächsischen Kunstgewerbeschule Weimar Dell worked as a Meister in the metal workshop of the newly established Bauhaus Weimar. Even in context of the Bauhaus design philosophy Dells was a highly innovative and forward thinking designer, especially in terms of new production technologies. From 1926 Dell was responsible for metal workshop of the Städelschule in Frankfurt, but was dismissed in 1933 under pressure from the Nazis. Rejecting Walter Gropius' invitation to follow him the United States, Dell remained in Germany, worked as a silversmith and after WW2 opened a jewellery store in Wiesbaden. Dell has become famous for his numerous lighting designs, including those produced for Gebr. Kaiser & Co. in 1933-34 and now known under the name Kaiser Idell.