Commercially Available Lighting in Star Trek
by Tadeo D'Oria, Eno Farley, Bernd Schneider and Jörg Hillebrand
Desk and Table LampsFloor LampsPendant LampsWall and Ceiling Lights
Although most Star Trek sets don't have conventional light fixtures, several off-the-shelf lamps could be seen. Here is a list of the models, among them some design classics.
See also a list of unidentified lamps and help us track their origin.
Desk and Table Lamps
Product photo | Lamp name | Seen in | Screen caps | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arne Jacobsen Table Lamp |
| SNW: "Ghosts of Illyria" SNW: "Ghosts of Illyria" | Designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1957. | |
Bel Occhio Table Lamp |
| SNW: "Charades" | Designed by Pablo Pardo and available at Montreal Lighting. | |
Blown glass table lamp |
| TNG: "The Schizoid Man" | Designed by Jeannot Cerutti for VeArt in 1986. We assume that this lamp came with a standard E 27 socket but with a special long light bulb. Lamps that are on sale or on display today often have a conventional light bulb in the socket. | |
Brass globe table lamp |
| SNW: "Ghosts of Illyria" | This is a brandless table lamp, which is being sold (as of 2022) by various furniture stores, as "Globus Table Lamp", "Pearl Table Lamp" or "Brass Globe Table Lamp". | |
Circa Table Lamp |
| DIS: "The Vulcan Hello" | Like the matching floor lamp, this design is available from Pablo Designs. | |
Contour Table Lamp |
| PIC: "The Next Generation" SNW: "Subspace Rhapsody" | Designed by Pablo Studio and available at Montreal Lighting. | |
Desk Lamp by Ron Rezek |
| TNG: "The Survivors" DS9: "Past Prologue" DS9: "The Way of the Warrior" | Not much is known about this lamp except for the designer Ron Rezek. It was heavily modified for the typically Cardassian holographic desktop viewer as it appeared in several DS9 episodes. See also the article on Variations of the DS9 Desktop Monitor. | |
Dessau Table Lamp |
| SNW: "Ad Astra per Aspera" | Designed by Sean Lavin and available at Montreal Lighting. | |
Echoes of Vienna |
| VOY: "Future's End I" | Designed by Robert Sonneman for Kovacs. | |
Elise table lamp |
| SNW: "Ghosts of Illyria" | Designed by Pablo Pardo and available in different sizes with different bases. | |
España |
| TNG: "The Big Goodbye" | A figure by Raymonde Guerbe, the wife of Pierre le Faguays, executed by Max le Verrier in 1928. | |
Flos Tatou |
| DIS: "The Red Angel" | Designed by Patricia Urquiola in 2012. | |
Gemlite Continental Model 850 |
| "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" | A glitter lamp available from Lava Simplex in the 1970's. | |
Gilda Table Lamp |
| VOY: "Remember" | Designed by Silvia Capponi and In Suk Il for Artemide in 1993. | |
Giraffa Lamp |
| DIS: "Context Is for Kings" DIS: "Brother" | Designed by John August for Pablo Designs in 2016. | |
IKEA Evedal |
| PIC: "Maps and Legends" | This comparably pricey lamp was designed by Aaron Probyn. | |
Inner Pyramid |
| TNG: "Unification II" | This is technically a work of art, rather than a lamp, but it is illuminated. Created by Ray Howett in 1985, as confirmed to Eno by the artist. The individual sculptures all seem to vary in their shapes and colors. In the original version of TNG: "Unification II", the face of boom operator Bill Gocke is famously visible in the pyramid at one point of the scene. This goof was edited out for TNG-R. | |
Jazz |
| "Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country" TNG: "The First Duty" VOY: "Ex Post Facto" ENT: "Horizon" LOW: "The Stars at Night" | Designed by Porsche for Italiana Luce in 1989. | |
LIM 360 |
| DIS: "Project Daedalus" | Designed by Pablo Pardo for Pablo Designs in 2009. | |
LT 305 |
| "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" | Also known as the Lotus Lamp, designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega and made from white smoked Murano glass. | |
Minimalism LED table lamp |
| SNW: "Spock Amok" | Available from PageOne Lighting. | |
Oz Lamp |
| VOY: "The Disease" | Designed by Daniela Puppa and Franco Raggi for FontanaArte in 1981. | |
PH 4.5-3.5 Table Lamp |
| SNW: "Ghosts of Illyria" | Designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen. This is the largest one of a lamp series with shades of 200mm, 290mm and 450mm diameter. The two smaller sizes come with a screwhead in the top piece. | |
President Lamp |
| ENT: "Shadows of P'Jem" | Designed by Luis Pérez de la Oliva for Fase in the 1960's. | |
Rougier mushroom-shaped table lamp |
| "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" TNG: "Angel One" | This design of the "tube lamp" series was produced by Rougier in the 1970's. Whenever this lamp appeared in Trek, it was probably rented from Modern Props (No. 175-0150). | |
Rougier ovaloid table lamp |
| TNG: "Code of Honor" DS9: "The Search II" | This design of the "tube lamp" series was produced by Rougier in the 1970's. Whenever this lamp appeared in Trek, it was probably rented from Modern Props (No. 175-0160). | |
Rougier round table lamp |
| TNG: "Code of Honor" DS9: "The Search II" | This design of the "tube lamp" series was produced by Rougier in the 1970's. Whenever this lamp appeared in Trek, it was probably rented from Modern Props (No. 175-0170). | |
Shogun Tavolo Lamp |
| TNG: "A Matter of Perspective" | Designed by Mario Botta for Artemide in 1986. | |
Stemlite Model C-3 |
| TOS: "A Taste of Armageddon" | Designed by Bill Curry for Design Line, ca. 1965. | |
Stemlite Model C-4 |
| TOS: "The Conscience of the King" | Designed by Bill Curry for Design Line, ca. 1965. | |
Trae Umi |
| PIC: "The End is the Beginning" | This LED desk lamp is powered by rechargeable batteries. | |
Z-Bar Solo Lamp |
| DIS: "Perpetual Infinity" | Designed by Peter Ng for Koncept, ca. 2006. The lamp features a detachable base and can be seen without that base on Discovery. |
Floor Lamps
Product photo | Lamp name | Seen in | Screen caps | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Biconica Floor Lamp |
| VOY: "In the Flesh" | Designed by Elio Martinelli for Martinelli Luce in 1987. | |
Circa Floor Lamp |
| DIS: "The Vulcan Hello" | Like the matching table lamp, this design is available from Pablo Designs. | |
Columnlite Model G |
| TOS: "The Conscience of the King" | Designed by Bill Curry for Design Line, ca. 1965. | |
Eclipse Lamp |
| VOY: "Unity" | Designed by Evert Jelle Jelles for Raak in 1964. The lamp features an adjustable shade, giving the impression of an eclipsed sun. | |
Enna Lamp |
| DIS: "Context Is for Kings" DIS: "Brother" | Produced by Astro Lighting, UK. | |
Galileo Lamp |
| TNG: "The Most Toys" | Designed in the 1980's by Arturo Silva for Antonangeli. | |
IKEA Simrishamn |
| DIS: "Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach" | Designed by I Bermudez/H Dalrot/A Probyn. | |
Mack Torchière |
| TNG: "Conspiracy" | Designed by Robert Sonneman for Kovacs in 1987. The design is a homage to the Hill House Chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. | |
Medusa floor lamp |
| PIC: "The Bounty" | Designed by Olaf von Bohr in 1968. | |
Neon lamp by Rudi Stern |
| TNG: "Samaritan Snare" "Star Trek: First Contact" | Rudi Stern designed this typical 80's lamp for Kovacs. | |
Lola Floor Lamp |
| TNG: "Brothers" | Designed by by Alberto Meda and Paolo Rizzatto for Luceplan in 1987. | |
LT 316 |
| "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" | Designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega in 1968 and made from white smoked Murano glass. | |
Model 1525 Torchier |
| DS9: "Our Man Bashir" | Designed in the 1960's by Arthur Jacobs for Modeline. | |
Modular Standing Lantern |
| TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver" TOS: "Operation - Annihilate!" PRO: "Observer's Paradox" | Designed by Malcolm Leland for Architectural Pottery, ca. 1951. This object comes without built-in lighting, and is supposed to hold candles in the alcoves. | |
Praying Mantis Lamp |
| SNW: "Strange New Worlds" | Designed for Rispal in 1950. | |
Serpente floor lamp |
| "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" PIC: "Two of One" | Designed by Elio Martinelli. | |
Skyscraper Lamp |
| "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" TNG: "Contagion" | This lamp was designed by C. Jeré. After it had appeared in Kirk's apartment in "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan", the floor lamp was disassembled and converted to two separate wall lights in Picard's ready room on TNG. | |
Stix Floor Lantern |
| DIS: "All Is Possible" | Sold by Adesso (Model #4046-01) and made of stacked black cane sticks and black metal poles, with fabric-like beige paper inside. | |
Swoop Floor Lamp |
| SNW: "Those Old Scientists" | Produced by Brightech. | |
Torchiere |
| TNG: "First Contact" DS9: "Prophet Motive" VOY: "In the Flesh" | A lamp by Ron Rezek, who also designed the famous Arno sconce of TNG, in the 1980's. | |
Totum Floor Lamp |
| TNG: "Suspicions" | Designed by Marilena Boccato, Gian Nicola Gigante and Antonio Zambusi for Zerbetto in 1970. Also available as table and sconce variations. |
Pendant Lamps
Wall and Ceiling Lights
See Also
Unidentified Lighting in Star Trek - noteworthy lamps we couldn't identify yet
Re-Used Props - Furniture - tables, chairs, lamps, other furniture
Present-Day Devices as Props - or: what else game consoles and composters are useful for
Credits
The following designs were originally identified by Eno at Star Trek + Design: Robert Sonneman pendant, Mack Lamp, Giraffa Lamp, Enna Lamp, Chandelier by Tom Greene, Eclipse Lamp, Gemlite Continental Model 850, Circa lamps, Ribbon Chandelier, Neon lamp by Rudi Stern, LIM 360, President Lamp, LT 316, LT 305, Echoes of Vienna, Z-Bar Solo Lamp, Blown Glass Table Lamp, Cyclos Sconce, Inner Pyramid, MB-10, MCM-8, MW-10, Medusa, Caboche, Louvre Sconce, Model 5096, Lola Floor Lamp, Praying Mantis Lamp, Model 1525 Torchier, Galileo Lamp.
The Gilda Lamp, Torchiere by Ron Rezek, Biconica Lamp, Noce Sconce, Oz Lamp, PH Hat Sconce and Utopia 42 Sconce were found by sideofbeans, the Trae Umi by Mapping La Sirena, the AJ Table Lamp by Doug, the Stix Floor Lantern by @GeekFilter, Brass globe table lamp and Overlapping Rectangles by @AJHalliwell, IKEA Simrishamn by @annihilashawn, Elise table lamp by @BruceLevenstein, Minimalism LED table lamp, Bel Occhio Table Lamp, Contour Table Lamp, Dessau Table Lamp and Swoop Floor Lamp by Ripley Large.
Thanks to Donny Versiga, Lt. Washburn, Patrick Kovacs, Fleetyard and w for some hints!
The information about the following lamps comes from the book Star Trek: Designing the Final Frontier: Modular Standing Lantern, Columnlite Model G, Stemlite Model C-3, Stemlite Model C-4, Holiday Pendant Lamp.
Most episode screen caps from TrekCore. Some photos from Live Auctioneers, Pamono, 1stDibs, artnet.com, The Astro Shop and Mad for Mid-Century. Product images shown in accordance with Fair Use exemption.
Star Trek + Design
about lamps and other real-life designs in Trek