With a flick of our 1227's switch, our day in the Best Made office begins, and is often spent hunkered over a desk, bent over a sewing machine, or focused on projects where precision counts. Bad lighting means tired eyes, aching necks, and work that suffers. We've tried countless task lamps, but we keep coming back to this British classic.

Designed in 1935 by George Carwardine, at the heart of every 1227 lies a mechanical marvel: a spring. While other task lamp designers relied on cumbersome weights and clamps for balance, Carwardine was the first to use springs—an innovation now so ubiquitous it's hard to believe it was once so groundbreaking. Drawing inspiration from automotive suspension systems, his ingenious arrangement of springs was the first task lamp to counteract gravity by way of calibrated spring-tension, allowing the lamp to be repositioned effortlessly while maintaining perfect stability in any position. 

Each 1227 is meticulously built with attention to detail: smooth articulation of joints, a satisfying click of the switch, precision in direction of light, and spring-balanced arms that hold their position with unwavering stability. The 1227 has a pleasingly simple silhouette with unmistakable character—we call it minimalism with soul.