When Danish designer Poul Henningsen was commissioned to design a pendant for the Langelinie Pavilion, a Copenhagen restaurant, it took just three months. In 1958, the first PH Artichokes were hung in the restaurant’s large dining rooms.

Henningsen had long been concerned with the state of lighting. “When you look into people's homes in the evenings, you shudder at how dismal they look,” he once said. With 12 arches and 72 overlying leaves, the bulb is obscured and the fixture casts a soft, warm glow.

Produced by Louis Poulson, the light has become a fixture in many museums, concert halls, and homes. As for the Langelinie Pavilion, the originals still hang, minus a few. Some years ago there was a break-in. Thieves snuck in, cut the cords and stole the five originals. Thankfully, police were able to track most of them down on eBay. They’ve since been returned.

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The Lighting Fixture That Inspired A High-Stakes Heist: The PH Artichoke