Designed by the British designer Robert Dudley Best in 1930, the lamp exudes simplicity and clean shapes in line with the school from Bauhaus, which the designer was highly influenced by. With its adjustable arm, both horizontal and vertical, and movable shade, the lamp suits well by the desk, as a bedside lamp or in the kitchen where the light needs to be directed.
Its design was first adopted by garages and the Royal Air Force engineering departments due to its great functionality. A feature in Architects Journal lauding Bestlite with the title of the first evidence of Bauhaus in Britain brought the lamp to the attention of the design conscious. Public demand for the Bestlite lamps soon followed and, when Winston Churchill personally chose the lamp for his desk, its iconic status was secured.
The lamp's design stays close to its industrial roots and true to its original design. It is held in permanent collections at both the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Design Museum in London. Loved by architects, designers and design aficionados throughout its long history, today, the lamp has become a contemporary classic.