Robert Dudley Best

Born in 1892 to the family that were partners in the large lighting manufacturers, Best & Lloyd. Despite the company's proud history of providing traditional lamps to a prestigious clientele, including Titanic and the Orient Express, Dudley Best was interested in a new collection that symbolised the spirit of the new age by appealing to the more avant-garde architects and setting a new agenda for lamp design. Inspired by what he had seen, Robert began his studies of industrial design in Paris and Düsseldorf, where he became close friends with Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus movement. It was during this time that he made the first sketches of what would become the iconic Bestlite design. Although Robert had great expectations for the Bestlite, the first lamps did not quite end up where he expected. They were sold to auto repair shops and the Royal Air Force where they were appreciated for their functionality. Loved by architects and designers the Bestlite is frequently used today in hotels and restaurants. But most of all Robert's Bestlite is found in the homes of people who appreciate the genuine and independent design.

The name Robert Dudley Best is only used to describe the characteristics of the goods made to the original design, and not as a trademark.