PH5 / Louis Poulsen: the original and its replicas
The glare-free Danish pendant, 1958. How to tell a genuine Louis Poulsen PH5 — shade tiers, finish, marking.
1 MIN · 3 OBJECTS IDENTIFIED“ph5 replica”, “poulsen ph5 dupe”: Poul Henningsen’s pendant is a Scandinavian classic that has been copied wholesale. Here is how to recognise a genuine Louis Poulsen.
The original
Designed by Poul Henningsen in 1958: a stack of shades calculated to diffuse light without ever dazzling (no bulb visible from any angle). A work of optics as much as of design.
Spotting a genuine one
The precise tiering of the shades, the quality of the lacquer, the small coloured reflectors inside, the Louis Poulsen marking. Copies use thinner metal, false proportions, and… dazzle (the ultimate test).
The light test
Switch it on and look from every angle: on a genuine PH5, never the bare source. A copy lets you see the bulb.
Spotted one in a shop window? Scan it on Beyit: Poulsen or replica.
One photo, every piece identified.
Your room, a shop window, an inspiration screenshot: send the photo, we find the pieces and their alternatives at every price.
On iPhone, the app does the same from your camera.
The pieces, at your budget.
Every piece mentioned, with its alternatives — from vintage to dupe.
Gallery
4 images
