1893 Hanau
1974 Wiesbaden

Christian Dell served an apprenticeship between 1907 and 1912 at the Schleissner & Söhne silver factory in Hanau while also studying at the Königlich Preußische Zeichenakademie in Hanau. In 1913 Christian Dell worked as a silversmith in Dresden. Christian Dell subsequently attended the Weimar Kunstgewerbeschule, where he studied under Henry van de Velde before being called up to serve in the armed forces until the end of the first world war. From 1918 until 1920 Christian Dell worked as a journeyman and then as a master silversmith for Hestermann & Ernst in München. In 1920 Christian Dell was in Berlin, working for the silversmith Emil Lettré. Returning to Hanau, Christian Dell again enrolled at the Preußische Zeichenakademie. From 1922 until 1925 Christian Dell was at the Bauhaus in Weimar, where he collaborated closely with László Moholy-Nagy in the metalworking workshop. Christian Dell produced numerous designs for metal office and workplace lamps. From 1926 Christian Dell taught at the Kunstschule in Frankfurt, where he was head of the newly established metalworking workshop until his dismissal by the National Socialists in 1933. In Frankfurt Christian Dell also designed a great many lamps, including the "Rondella-Polo" (1926/27) table lamp and the "Idell" line, many of which were mass produced, mainly by Kaiser & Co. and Rondella.