Gubi.

Gubi

Gubi is a Danish edition house founded in 1967 whose strategy pivoted in the 2000s toward documented reissues of forgotten modernist pieces. The Bestlite by Robert Dudley Best (1930), the Multi-Lite by Louis Weisdorf (1972), the Grasshopper and Cobra lamps by Greta Magnusson Grossman, the Beetle by GamFratesi and the Pacha by Pierre Paulin reissued in 2018 form the core of today's catalogue. LAPIERRE sources these pieces in their original production when available, and early Gubi reissues when they appear secondhand.

Brand history

The company was founded in 1967 in Copenhagen by Gubi and Lisbeth Olsen, who opened a furniture and interiors shop in the Danish capital. Through the early decades the house ran in a craft mode, mixing in-house manufacturing and distribution. The repositioning came in the 2000s under the second family generation. Gubi became an edition house: archive research, contact with rights holders, licence negotiation, reissues.

The strategy was explicit: republish forgotten modernist models, designed between the 1930s and 1970s, that had never received global distribution. The Bestlite, designed in 1930 by Robert Dudley Best for Best & Lloyd in Birmingham, has been reissued by Gubi since 2003. The Multi-Lite pendant, designed in 1972 by Louis Weisdorf and Bonderup-Thorup, was reissued in 2014. The Grasshopper Floor Lamp (1947) and Cobra (1950) by Greta Magnusson Grossman, a Swedish designer based in California, are reissued by Gubi from the 2010s. The house also edits Mathieu Matégot, Paavo Tynell, Sam Hecht, Space Copenhagen, GamFratesi and Pierre Paulin (Pacha 1975, reissued 2018).

Gubi also continues to edit contemporary pieces (Beetle Chair by GamFratesi, 2013) and outdoor collections. The company remains centralised in Copenhagen.

Signature pieces we source

Bestlite (BL1, BL3, BL5). Table lamp, floor lamp and wall sconce by Robert Dudley Best, 1930. Best & Lloyd Birmingham production, then Gubi from 2003. Sought in matte black, white or brass.

Multi-Lite pendant. Pendant with pivoting half-globes by Louis Weisdorf and Bonderup-Thorup, 1972. Gubi reissue 2014. Sought in matte black, white or brass.

Grasshopper Floor Lamp. Tripod-base inclined floor lamp by Greta Magnusson Grossman, 1947. Original American Ralph O. Smith production, then Gubi reissue.

Cobra Table Lamp. Articulated-diffuser table lamp by Greta Magnusson Grossman, 1950. American production, then Gubi reissue.

Pacha Lounge Chair. Low armchair by Pierre Paulin, designed in 1975 for Mobilier International, reissued by Gubi in 2018 under licence from the Paulin estate.

Beetle Chair. Contemporary chair by GamFratesi, 2013. Upholstered shell with petal-shaped back, wood, metal or swivel base.

Mathieu Matégot. Tripode lamps and baskets, Gubi reissues.

Authenticating original vs reissue

Three cases arise. Pre-Gubi original production. 1930s-70s Best & Lloyd Bestlites, 1972-1980 Bonderup-Thorup Multi-Lite, 1950s Ralph O. Smith Grasshopper, 1975-1980 Mobilier International Pacha. These pieces carry a specific original-editor marking. Gubi reissue. Engraved or applied Gubi marking depending on model, contemporary European manufacturing quality. Unlicensed copy. No marking, lower material and finish quality. The valuation gap between the three cases can be substantial.

LAPIERRE process for this brand

The Gubi protocol at LAPIERRE systematically distinguishes original production from reissue. For Bestlite and Multi-Lite, marking and patina checks. For Grasshopper and Cobra by Grossman, preferential U.S. sourcing for original Ralph O. Smith production. For Pacha, marking and jersey consistency check. All lighting is electrically tested and brought up to European standards before delivery.

Request a search

Looking for an original Best & Lloyd Bestlite, a 1975 Mobilier International Pacha, a Ralph O. Smith Grasshopper or a recent Gubi reissue secondhand? Write to LAPIERRE with your brief: model, period, target condition. Our team activates its sourcing network in Denmark, Sweden, the UK and the U.S.