We know very little about the creator of Rispal.
The son of wine merchants, he was born in Paris in 1901. In 1924, he founded his company in the 11th arrondissement of the capital, at 172, rue de Charonne. Its activity ceased in 1982.
The workshop and the showroom were then destroyed to make room for a real estate program. During this operation, all plans, manufacturing documents and other tools disappeared, and with it, all the craftmanship of Rispal.
In short, the know-how of the company Rispal.
Rispal productions were extremely varied and of a classical style.
However, in the early 1950s, a particularly avant-garde collection was launched and named: “Formes Nouvelles”. The models were largely inspired by Scandinavian design but also, it is said , by artist Jean Arp’s .
The “Formes Nouvelles” collection also allowed architects and interior designers to design their own creations. A vast array of options were made available to customers – opalines, sanded and milky glass, lampshades, wooden pieces and legs. The various combinations could satisfy everyone’s tastes.
If there is one model that represents the avant-gardism of Rispal alone, it is undoubtedly the “praying mantis.” Its surname comes from its organic design and striking similarity to the insect It was given over time by antique dealers and decorators despite the fact that Rispal products did not have names, only references.
The “praying mantis” is often attributed to a certain Jean Rispal, though the reality is, Rispal lamps were designed by the in-house design team.
Douglas Mont, a lighting designer, Rispal collector, and true enthusiast of the brand, wanted to revive those emblematic creations of the golden age of French furniture. Years of research, meetings, and experiments eventually convinced him to re-launch the iconic brand.
It seemed almost impossible to reproduce these lamps without the original plans or tools.
The “Praying Mantis” lampshade is a good example: the technique used to produce the cellulose acetate lampshade, which was the emblematic piece of the brand, had to be completely reinvented.
Our lamps are entirely made in France. Our partners have been rigorously selected for the quality of their work and their respect for the environment. Most have received the EPV label (from the Living Heritage Company). With environmental awareness in mind, we have decided to ban the use of the exotic woods such as teak or mahogany. We have replaced them with ash, walnut and oak from sustainably managed forests.
Our mission is to bring back Rispal’s iconic creations. We are also committed to the future of the brand with the release of new models designed by Douglas Mont. These new lamps will honor the brand’s original style and DNA and pay tribute to the avant-gardism of the Nouvelles Formes collection.
