193:, was invented around 1963 by Edward Craven Walker. It was adapted from a design for an egg timer spotted in a pub in Dorset, England. Edward and Christine Craven-Walker licensed the product to a number of overseas markets whilst continuing to manufacture for the European market themselves under the original name of the company, Crestworth. The rights to produce and sell the lamp on the American market for the duration of the patent were sold to Lava Simplex International, in 1966. The American company has now closed the American factory and has the lava lamps made in China.
231:
36:
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1029:
196:
In Europe Craven-Walker’s original lava lamp designs have been in continuous production since the early 1960s and are still made today by
Mathmos in Poole, Dorset, UK. The Mathmos lava lamp formula developed initially by Craven-Walker in the 1960s and then improved with his help in the 1990s is still
221:
The 1990s re-launch of the original lava lamps saw sales grow strongly for
Mathmos again from 10,000 lamps a year in 1989 to 800,000 lamps a year in 1999. Mathmos won two Queens Awards for Export and a number of other business awards. Edward Craven-Walker remained a consultant and company director
257:
New lines include a range of colour changing and rechargeable lights, several of which have won design awards. Mathmos has recently turned its attention back to its classic
British made lava lamp range In 2013, it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a limited edition of the classic Astro by
200:
Lava lamp sales by
Mathmos have been through a number of ups and downs. After selling millions of lamps worldwide in the 1960s and 70s, they did not revive until the 1990s. In 1989, Cressida Granger and David Mulley took over the running of Walker's original company, Crestworth, situated in
296:
A new giant lava lamp iO was launched in 2019 the FIRST100 numbered edition selling out within hours. New candle powered lava lamps Pod and Pod + were also launched. The new lamps were photographed at Second Home co-working space in London Fields and in the iconic
Barbican in London.
304:
as part of the Light Up Poole event. Showcasing its lava lamps in the windows and throughout the museum. Mathmos moved into a new larger factory in Poole just before lockdown and has stayed open through the Covid-19 pandemic working safely throughout.
288:
Mathmos celebrated the centenary of the birth of its founder and the inventor of the lava lamp Edward Craven Walker in 2018. Mathmos lava lamps appeared in a number of exhibitions including Pop & Protest and the
Festival of Lights in
280:
In 2017 Mathmos launched Neo wall the only wall mounted lava lamp. Mathmos also launched their first limited edition collaboration with Liam
Gallagher's fashion brand Pretty Green during London Design Week with a window in London’s
242:, Mathmos widened its product range whilst maintaining and building on the classic Mathmos lava lamp range. Mathmos developed new products both in house with the Mathmos Design Studio and with a number of external designers such as
293:
that year. Mathmos also launched its second sell-out collaboration with Pretty Green and had a dedicated programme on its
British production process as part of ITV's Made in Britain series.
921:
656:
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In 2016, Mathmos launched Neo, the first lava lamp tested for children and adults, and opened a “Special
Projects” division offering giant bespoke lava lamps. The first one is in
683:
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901:
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627:
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348:"Bubble" Light: Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 2001, D&AD commendation 2001, Red Dot Award 2001, Light Magazine Decorative Lighting Award 2001
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Christine Craven Walker, wife and business partner of the inventor. They also showed the biggest lava lamp in the world in
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345:"Fluidium": Design Week finalist best consumer product 2001, FX Magazine finalist best lighting product 2000
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918:"Marketing Magazine, Derek Scanlon, 16 July 1998 NEW MEDIA: This Is London grabs top prize at Yell Awards"
20:
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504:"The Independent, Melanie Rickey, Saturday, 27 January 1996 The material world / Light of our lives"
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403:“Astro Lava Lamp” at Pop & Protest Exhibition at Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg 2019
212:
The name
Mathmos comes from the seething lake of lava beneath the city Sogo in the 1962 comic
1091:
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367:"bubble, Airswitch tc, aduki ni, grito" all in the V&A permanent collection from 2006
8:
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Launch of 50th Birthday limited edition Astro at Aria, Islington, London; September 2013
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388:"bubble" Design Council exhibition New York 2002, International Design Year Book 2001
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342:"Tumbler" light: Form 2001 award, Red Dot Award 2002, Design Week commendation 2002
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Astro displayed at The Geffrye Museum London as part of The London Design Festival
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The Sunday Times, Hugh Pearman, 23 November 2003, Design Classics – Lava Lamp
808:"Wired, Lava Lamp's 50 Years of Gooey Light by Roberto Baldwin, 9 March 2013"
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91:
539:"Lava lamp creators mark 50 years of 1960s icon, BBC News, 30 August 2013"
391:
50th Birthday Exhibition at The Royal Festival Hall London September 2013
628:"Mathmos at Southbank Centre, The London Design Festival, September 2013"
425:"MATHMOS LIMITED overview – Find and update company information – GOV.UK"
19:
This article is about the British company. For the fictional entity, see
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781:"Far out, man: world's largest lava lamp, Time Out, 11 September 2013"
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Mathmos Lava Lamps Poole Museum as part of Light Up Poole 2020 >
358:
Mathmos Vintage Lava Lamp Exhibition 2009 at London Design Festival
162:
63:
336:"Airswitch tc" light: Gift Magazine Design Homewares winner 2005.
385:"Bubble" "Skin" exhibition at Cooper Hewitt Museum New York 2001
361:"Astro" Design Icons Exhibition Harrods & Design Museum 2008
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178:
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373:"Fluidium" "Blobjects and Beyond" San Jose Museum of Art 2005
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Primedyke Imports & Exports Limited (July–September 1990)
273:, London as part the new accessories department designed by
1076:
622:
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376:‘bubble" Great Expectations Exhibition Design Council 2003
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Mathmos, trade show in Birmingham, England, September 2011
370:"Airswitch tc" V&A "Touch Me" exhibition spring 2005
730:
Design Week, Miriam Cadji, 30 August 2001, Modern Retro
617:
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Fast Track 100 (3rd fastest growing manufacturer 1999)
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379:"Aduki" light: International Design Year Book 2003
1098:
419:
417:
308:
382:"Tumbler" International Design Year Book 2002.
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364:"Telstar" Space Age, Museum of Childhood 2007
238:Since 1999, and under the sole ownership of
1127:Electronics companies of the United Kingdom
751:"The Guardian, Mil Millington, 1 July 2006"
533:
531:
209:, and changed the name to Mathmos in 1992.
1065:Light Up Poole, Digital Light Art Festival
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1137:Electronics companies established in 1963
839:"The Guardian, Selfridges goes bigger..."
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528:
327:
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173:. It is headquartered in its factory in
941:
939:
478:The material world / Light of our lives
320:Yell Award best commercial website 1997
1099:
837:Smithers, Rebecca (23 November 2016).
516:from the original on 25 September 2015
333:"Grito" lamp shade: Red Dot Award 2006
323:Design Week Best Consumer website 1998
314:Queens Awards for Export 2000 and 1997
52:Crestworth Trading Limited (1990–1997)
952:from the original on 12 November 2013
924:from the original on 29 February 2012
787:from the original on 14 November 2013
686:from the original on 20 February 2021
339:"Aduki" Design Week commendation 2003
936:
848:from the original on 1 December 2016
818:from the original on 8 February 2014
222:at Mathmos until his death in 2000.
1036:from the original on 10 August 2022
1010:from the original on 9 January 2011
805:
680:"The Guardian, Space 27 April 2000"
13:
605:from the original on 11 April 2018
184:
14:
1153:
1070:
880:from the original on 29 June 2018
761:from the original on 6 March 2016
654:Meet the lady of the (lava) lamps
225:
16:British lighting products company
549:from the original on 3 June 2018
353:Exhibitions and design yearbooks
34:
1060:MKG Hamburg, 68 Pop and Protest
1022:
990:
964:
910:
892:
868:"The Independent 21 April 1997"
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830:
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569:"Lava Lamps Keep Firm Floating"
1142:1963 establishments in England
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1:
749:Millington, Mil (July 2006).
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309:Business and marketing awards
581:International Herald Tribune
300:In 2020 Mathmos teamed with
165:products, most famously the
7:
706:"Rising, Dancing, Twisting"
10:
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21:Mathmos (fictional entity)
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1112:Companies based in Dorset
483:25 September 2015 at the
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134:, other lighting products
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102:
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1117:Companies based in Poole
1077:http://www.mathmos.co.uk
972:"London Design Festival"
735:12 November 2013 at the
659:12 November 2013 at the
169:invented by its founder
1082:Mathmos Company History
235:
328:Product design awards
233:
1056:. Subscription only.
904:2 March 2012 at the
574:6 March 2016 at the
171:Edward Craven Walker
82:Edward Craven Walker
978:on 12 November 2013
739:. Subscription only
246:, El Ultimo Grito,
189:The Astro lamp, or
30:
806:Baldwin, Roberto.
634:on 3 November 2013
545:. 29 August 2013.
275:David Chipperfield
236:
28:
1087:Mathmos Locations
873:Independent.co.uk
669:, 2 February 2013
584:, 22 January 1996
509:Independent.co.uk
493:, 27 January 1996
152:
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1149:
1132:Purbeck District
1092:Mathmos Timeline
1046:
1045:
1043:
1041:
1030:"V&A Museum"
1026:
1020:
1019:
1017:
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1002:
998:"V&A Museum"
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974:. Archived from
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476:Melanie Rickey,
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264:Southbank Centre
240:Cressida Granger
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98:, United Kingdom
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899:Fast Track 100
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430:Companies House
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252:Sabine Marcelis
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185:Company history
155:Mathmos Limited
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29:Mathmos Limited
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1107:British brands
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1071:External links
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595:"Mathmos Icon"
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453:"Company Info"
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433:. 30 July 1990
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244:Ross Lovegrove
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1038:. Retrieved
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1012:. Retrieved
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980:. Retrieved
976:the original
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954:. Retrieved
926:. Retrieved
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882:. Retrieved
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850:. Retrieved
842:The Guardian
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820:. Retrieved
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791:19 September
789:. Retrieved
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763:. Retrieved
755:The Guardian
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713:. Retrieved
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688:. Retrieved
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638:19 September
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632:the original
607:. Retrieved
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302:Poole Museum
299:
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88:Headquarters
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884:4 September
765:15 December
601:. Mathmos.
599:mathmos.com
520:4 September
161:that sells
1101:Categories
947:"I.D.S.A."
852:6 December
666:Daily Echo
652:Features,
462:22 January
457:Mathmos UK
437:22 January
408:References
271:Selfridges
248:Studio Job
215:Barbarella
132:Lava lamps
104:Key people
191:lava lamp
167:lava lamp
1034:Archived
1005:Archived
950:Archived
922:Archived
902:Archived
878:Archived
846:Archived
816:Archived
785:Archived
759:Archived
733:Archived
684:Archived
657:Archived
609:11 April
603:Archived
572:Archived
547:Archived
543:BBC News
514:Archived
481:Archived
163:lighting
128:Products
64:Lighting
60:Industry
43:Formerly
1040:20 July
1014:26 July
982:26 July
956:26 July
928:26 July
822:9 March
690:26 July
553:20 June
159:company
144:mathmos
139:Website
78:Founder
70:Founded
715:4 July
291:Berlin
260:London
250:, and
207:Dorset
197:used.
179:Dorset
96:Dorset
1008:(PDF)
1001:(PDF)
812:Wired
203:Poole
175:Poole
92:Poole
1042:2018
1016:2010
984:2010
958:2010
930:2010
886:2017
854:2016
824:2017
793:2013
767:2016
717:2024
692:2010
640:2013
611:2018
555:2018
522:2017
464:2024
439:2024
146:.com
73:1963
262:’s
118:CEO
1103::
1032:.
1003:.
938:^
920:.
876:.
870:.
844:.
814:.
810:.
783:.
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753:.
708:.
682:.
663:,
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597:.
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416:^
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120:)
116:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
