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Flos Lighting

Imaginative lighting is a longtime hallmark of modern Italian design. Following in the footsteps of innovative companies such as Artemide and Arteluce, the company FLOS brought a fresh aesthetic philosophy to the Italian lighting field in the 1960s, one that would produce several of the iconic floor lamp, table lamp and pendant light designs of the era.

FLOS — Latin for “flower” — was founded in the northern town of Merano in 1962 by Cesare Cassina (of the famed Cassina furniture-making family) and Dino Gavina, a highly cultured businessman who believed that artistic ideas espoused in postwar Italy could inform commercial design. The two enlisted brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni as their first designers.

Even before FLOS was formally incorporated, the Castiglionis gave the firm one of its enduring successes with the Taraxacum pendant and associated designs made by spraying an elastic polymer on a metal armature. (George Nelson had pioneered the technique in the United States in the early 1950s.) For other designs, the brothers found inspiration in everyday objects. Suggestive of streetlights, their Arco floor lamp, with its chrome boom and ball-shaped shade sweeping out from a marble block base, has become a staple of modernist decors. Designing for FLOS since 1966, Tobia Scarpa has also been inspired by the commonplace. His folded-metal Foglio sconces resemble a shirt cuff; his carved marble Biagio table lamp looks like a jai alai basket.

In 1973, FLOS purchased Arteluce, the company founded in 1939 by Gino Sarfatti, and it continues to produce his designs. In recent decades, FLOS has contracted work from several noted designers, including Marcel Wanders and Jasper Morrison. As instantly recognizable as they are, many FLOS designs remain accessible. While FLOS lighting is the essence of modernity, its sleek, subtle designs can be used to strike a sculptural note in even traditional spaces.

Browse a broad range of FLOS lighting fixtures at 1stDibs.

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Creator: Flos
Flos Tab Table LED Lamp 2700K with Dimmer 90° Rotatable Head, Black
By Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A brand new edition of the Tab family, now with new capabilities in new colors. This new edition of Tab table lamp has an adjustable head with a ±90-deg...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Set of 4 Light Ball table, ceiling and wall lamp by Castiglioni, Flos
By Flos, Arteluce, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Argelato, BO
Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, set of 4 table, ceiling and wall lamps Light Ball, Italy, 1965 Created by the now legendary pair of brothers and Italian designers, the Castiglionis design a series of diffused light lamps using a simple white opaline sphere of industrial production, which reinterprets a low-cost object commonly used in the domestic environment. A polished brass metal frame houses...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Brass

Italian Table lamp Snoopy by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 2022
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Table lamp Snoopy by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 2022 Table lamp mod. Snoopy. The diffuser has a round base and is lacquered with black paint with a glossy...
Category

2010s Italian Flos Lighting

Materials

Marble, Metal

Black and White, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, 1965
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, FR
Suspension Black and White designed by the two Castiglioni brother, Achille and Pier Giacomo and edited in 1965 by Flos. The reflector is in chromed aluminuim and has been re-polishe...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Chrome, Aluminum

Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Splügen Bräu Wall Lamps for Flos, 1961
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Milan, IT
Pair of Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Splügen Bräu wall lamps for Flos, 1961.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Floor, Table Lamp Noce T by Achille Castiflioni for Flos
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Padova, IT
Iconic floor side lamp Noce T designed by Achille Castiglioni and produced by Flos 1970s. It owes its name to the rounded shape that suggests a half walnut. T...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Italian Chandelier Black and White by brother Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Chandelier mod. Black and White with a rounded diffuser in opaline glass, containing two E27 connections, and a lower metal part equipped with another central and external E27 connec...
Category

1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Pair Vintage Uplighter Floor Lamps By Josep Llusca 'Servul F' For Flos Italy
By Flos
Located in Norwich, GB
A pair of vintage uplighter floor lamps designed by Josep Llusca in 1994 for Flos Italy. Circa 1990's. The floor lamps have grey lacquere...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Steel

Toio floor lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1962
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FR
Floor lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in 1962 Toio model BAse with transformer, adjustable vertical arm, headlight car Iconic piece
Category

Mid-20th Century French Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Vintage Italian "Arco" Marble Floor Lamps by Achille and Pier Castiglioni, 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Amazing vintage Italian “Arco” marble floor lamps, designed by Achille and Pier Castiglioni for Flos in Italy, circa 1960s. This stunning lamp is a testament to refined design, showc...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Marble, Aluminum, Steel

Floor lamp Papillona by Tobia Scarpa  for Flos 70s
By Flos, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Padova, IT
Flos Papillona is a floor lamp with a simple and modern design. Designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1975, it is a classic from those memorable years which saw t...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

"Black and White" Pendant Lamp by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni For Flos
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Mid-century lamp with opal glass bowl for diffused light. For concentrated light, a polished aluminum reflector is fitted to the base with a silver domed reflector bulb. "Black & Whi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Silver Aluminum wall/ceiling lamp Padina by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1960s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This Padina lamp can be used as sconce or as a ceiling lamp. It is made from a silver aluminum body. Equipped with E27 lamp socket. Good condition: oxidation and patina.
Category

1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Castiglioni Midcentury Blue Metal "Light Ball" Italian Sconce for Flos, 1970s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing midcentury "Light Ball' sconce in royal blue metal and opaline glass. This fantastic item was designed by Achille Castiglioni and manufactured in Italy by Flos during the 197...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Cocoon Large Table Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
The Gatto table lamp is a representation of the Castiglioni brothers' design philosophy, which often involved a combination of functional innovation and a sense of whimsy. The use of...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Philippe Starck for Flos Hide L Wall Light Sconce, Large, Black, Shelf, Italy.
By Philippe Starck, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Flos Hide wall lamp by Flos Lighting is a modern LED wall flusher that functions as a shelf as well. Indirect-light wall lamp. Body in pressofused aluminium, with shiny finish. I...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Stainless Steel

Flos Miss K Table Lamp in Transparent by Philippe Starck
By Flos, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
MISS K desk/table lamp providing diffused light. Fully transparent, injectionmolded PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate, UL-94 HB) frame; opal, injectionmolded polycar...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Plastic

White "Light Ball" Wall or Ceiling Lamp by Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1970s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing midcentury "Light Ball' sconce in white metal and opaline glass. This fantastic item was designed by Achille Castiglioni and manufactured in Italy by Flos during the 1970s. ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Marble and Steel Arco Lamp for FLOS, 1967
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Vicenza, IT
Arco lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962 and manufactured by the Italian brand FLOS in 1967. Excellent vintage condition. From the outside, it looks like ...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Carrara Marble, Steel

Lampada da terra Arco italiana di metà secolo dei fratelli Castiglioni per Flos
By Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in MIlano, IT
Lampada da terra modello Arco a luce diretta con base di marmo bianco di Carrara e stelo telescopico in acciaio inossidabile satinato. Riflettore orientabile e regolabile in altezza in alluminio stampato, lucidato e zapponato. Prodotta da Flos nel 1960 ca. e disegnata da Achille e Pier Giacomo Castiglioni nel 1962. Buone condizioni, impianto ricablato. Misure 220x24x240h cm Bellissima e iconica lampada da terra, unica nel suo genere, molto famosa per la sua particolare forma leggera e sottile ma monumentale allo stesso tempo. Uno dei pezzi di design più famosi in tutti il mondo, perfetta in case piccole e grandi...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Marble, Metal

"Light Ball" Wall / Ceiling Lamps by Castiglioni for Flos, Italy, 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Milan, IT
Light Ball model 2 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos. Minimal wall / ceiling lamp providing diffused light. Base in enameled spun aluminum, opal glass sphere with sc...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Taccia Table Lamp by Achille & Pier G. Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 20th Century
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Greding, DE
Table lamp model Taccia, which was designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in the 1960s. The lamp rests on a fluted round base, on which the large glass shade with ...
Category

1960s Italian Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Glass

Italian modern applique Parter by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern applique Parter by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s Wall sconce mod. Parter. The structure is in gunmetal gray painted metal with a glossy finish and is composed of...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Lamp by Gino Sarfatti, mod. 2097 Flos
By Gino Sarfatti, Flos
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The "2097" chandelier is an iconic lighting design created by the Italian designer Gino Sarfatti in 1958. It was produced by the Italian lighting manufacturer Flos. This timeless cha...
Category

1960s Italian Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Brass, Metal

Flos Tab Floor LED Lamp 90° Rotatable Head, Black
By Flos, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A brand new edition of the Tab family, now with new capabilities in new colors. This new edition of Tab floor lamp has an adjustable head with a 90-degr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Flos Zeppelin S1 Pendant Light by Marcel Wanders, Faceted Crystal Globe
By Flos, MARCEL WANDERS
Located in Brussels , BE
Flos Zeppelin S1 pendant light by Marcel Wanders - faceted crystal globe.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Crystal

Mid-Century TS -Foglio Wall Lamps by Tobia Scarpa for Flos
By Flos, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original 1960s TS-Foglio wall mounted sconce designed by Tobia Scarpa for Flos. Scarpa's history was closely connected to Flos: He was one of the first designers to be invited to the...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Castiglioni Midcentury Chromed Metal "Light Ball" Italian Sconce for Flos, 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing midcentury "Light Ball' sconce chrome metal and opaline glass for Flos. This fantastic item was designed by Achille Castiglioni and manufactured in Italy for Flos during the 1960s. This amazing piece is unique because of the materials, as it is made of chromed metal and opaline glass. Each light takes one E27 75w maximum bulb. A great sconce that will smarten a midcentury living room or bathroom. Literature: Casa Amica, 27 June 1972, p. 105 Octagon 30 September 1973, p. 149 Sergio Polano, Achille Castiglioni all the works, Electa, Milano, 2001, p. 224 Giuliana Gramigna, repertoire 1950-2000, Allemandi, Torino, 2003, p. 121. The beginnings of Flos (meaning “flower” in Latin) blossomed from a brilliant IDEA: to create objects, starting with a light bulb, that would change the way of life for both the Italian market and the foreign markets. Dino Gavina and the small Eisenkeil manufacturing facility in Merano, had already been creating furniture alongside design masters such as Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Afra and Tobia Scarpa. But by the early ‘60s, Gavina became convinced the time had come to create new lamps. Using the same technology – conceived in the USA and tested at Eisenkeil – used for the Cocoon lampthe Castiglioni brothers and the Scarpa duo began creating lamps such as the Taraxacum or the Fantasma, with many other beautiful and surprising lamps to follow. And so, from day one, Flos was already reinventing the IDEA of artificial lighting. Achille Castiglioni (born February 16, 1918, Milan–died December 2, 2002, Milan) was a prolific furniture, lighting, and product Italian designer renown for his ironic, joyful, creative and functional designs that, at times, intersected with ideas explored by conceptual artists. Achille Castiglioni was born into a family with deep appreciation for the arts, as he was the third son of sculptor and coin engraver Giannino Castiglioni and his wife Livia Bolla. He first studied the classics at the Liceo Classico Giuseppe Parini, but then switched to study art at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan. In 1937, he decided to follow the steps of his two elder brothers, architects Livio and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, by enrolling in the Faculty of Architecture at the Politecnico di Milano, graduating in 1944–after having to interrupt his studies when he was stationed in Greece and Sicily during World War II. In 1944, immediately after graduating, Achille Castiglioni joined his brothers Livio and Pier Giacomo in the design studio that they had founded with Livio’s classmate Luigi Caccia Dominioni in 1937 in Milan. Fortunately for Achille, from the very beginning Livio and Pier Giacomo decided to focus almost entirely on designing exhibitions, furniture, housewares, and appliances since architectural commissions were difficult to come by during the war. This product-design focus, and the deep fraternal bound among the three brothers, would later allow the young Achille to experiment early in his career with emerging techniques and new materials that could communicate a fresh aesthetic sensibility suited for the positive outlook of the post-war European market. The Castiglioni brothers’ important collaboration with Phonola and Brionvega In 1940, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Livio Castiglioni, and Luigi Caccia Dominioni, in collaboration withe the Phonola company, presented in the VII Triennale di Milano (Milan Triennial), titled Exhibition of the Radio, a research study of radio devices that included the Fimi Phonola 547 radio, the first radio encased in Bakelite instead of wood. Shortly after the exhibition, Luigi Caccia Dominioni suspended his professional activity to serve in the military during World War II and left the studio. The development of the FImi Phonola 547 radio would prove fruitful for the three brothers, as it allowed Livio Castiglioni to cement his role as the leading design consultant for Phonola from 1940 until 1960, and for Brionvega, from 1960 until 1964. These relationships brought in further collaboration among the three brothers, and would eventually result in several designs for radio and sound appliances with innovative materials and shapes for which Achille Castiglioni played a key role, such as the RR 226 stereo system for Brinovega (1965), the radio phonograph RR 126 for Brinovega (1965), and the radio and record player RR 128 for Brionvega (1966) In 1952, Livio decided to build his own practice, independent from Achille and Pier Giacomo, to pursue a deeper exploration of radio waves, music, and technology. But the three brothers would continued to collaborate closely in several projects, and the partnership between Achille and Pier Giacomo became so tight that from 1952 until 1968, when Pier Giacomo died, they co-authored most of their designs. Achille Castiglioni Long Career as Light Designer During this period, the Castiglioni brothers participated in the Italian Exhibition of Furniture (RIMA), where they successfully introduced a series of curved-plywood furniture, and presented important designs, such as the Tubino lamp (1949), originally produced by Italian light maker Arteluce from 1949 until 1974, and reintroduced by Flos since the late 1970s; and the Luminator lamp (1955), originally produced by Gilardi & Barzaghi, but reintroduced by Flos in the late 1960s. A new, successful, and long-lasting collaboration developed in 1960, when Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni were reached by entrepreneurial Italian designer Dino Gavina and business man Arturo Eisenkeil with the IDEA to create a completely new kind of lighting fixtures utilizing a polyamide. The Material, which they called “cocoon,” in the hands of the Castiglioni brothers would become a popular and iconic innovation in the 1960s and serve as the successful foundation of Italian lighting company Flos–founded by Gavina and Eisenkeil in 1962. Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni designed a series of “cocoon” lights utilizing the spray-on polyamide plastic as a coating layer onto a metal frame. Among the most popular Castiglioni “cocoon” lights are: the Taraxacum and the Viscontea ceiling lamps (1960), and the Gatto table lamp (1961). Other of the important lamp designs by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni for Flos are the Beehive -or Splügen Braü lamp (1961), Toio –or Toy lamp...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Chrome, Metal

Barber & Osgerby for FLOS Tab F1 Floor Lamp
By Flos
Located in New York, NY
Edward Barber (British, b. 1969) and Jay Osgerby (British, b. 1969) for FLOS "Tab F1" floor reading lamp with adjustable head, designed 2011, painted press fused aluminum, marked, wi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

'Nictea' Pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos
By Tobia Scarpa, Flos
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nictea pendant by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos. A cloud like all polished nickel pendant featuring a bulbous top and bottom shade, sandwiched in-between a perforated brass ring. Th...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Brass, Nickel

White Opaline Glass & Metal Velella Ceiling Lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This Velella lamp can be used as sconce or as a ceiling lamp. It is made from a painted metal frame with adjustable holders, and with an opaline glass shade. This model provides onl...
Category

1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Nickel

castiglioni sciuko lamp for FLOS italia, 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Genova, IT
Iconic lamp produced in the 1960s by flos designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo castiglioni. Blue lacquered metal body and thick molded glass. Designed to be a versatile light sourc...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Flos, pair of Quarto wall lamps by Afra e Tobia Scarpa. Italy 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Flos
Located in Catania, CT
Poor vintage condition with evident trace of age and use included some loss of lacquer. One lamp has a slight deformation on the upper part of the clear polycarbonate frame, the othe...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Brass Pendant Fior Di Loto by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos, 1960s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Flos
Located in Milano, IT
The Fior di Loto pendant, passionately conceived by the visionary minds of Tobia and Afra Scarpa, emerges as a true masterpiece within the realm of lighting design. Born in the creat...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Brass

Italian pendant light Parentesi by Achille Castiglioni Pio Manzù for Flos, 1970s
By Achille Castiglioni & Pio Manzu, Flos
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian pendant light Parentesi by Achille Castiglioni Pio Manzù for Flos, 1970s Suspension lamp with direct adjustable light. The lamp is composed of a main body in gray painted sha...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Large Gino Sarfatti 30 Armed Chrome Chandelier Model 2097 Made by Flos, 1980s
By Gino Sarfatti, Flos
Located in Aarhus C, DK
Large Gino Sarfatti (1912-1984) chandelier model 2097 with 30 arms and bulbs designed in 1958. It's made of metal with chrome and made by Flos in the 1980s. This chandelier, with it...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Chrome

White Opaline Glass Italian Pendant Lamp by Achille e Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Ceiling lamp designed in 1965 by the Castiglioni brothers. Produced by Flos. It produces diffused light through the opal glass diffuser and concentrated light with a polished aluminu...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Castiglioni Metal "Light Ball" Italian Sconce for Arteluce and Flos, 1960s
By Flos, Arteluce, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Roma, IT
Incredibly rare first edition of the famous "Light Ball" applique by Castiglioni in white metal and opal glass. This fantastic lamp was designed by Castiglioni for Arteluce and produced in Italy by Flos in the 1960s. This fantastic lamp was designed by Castiglioni for Arteluce and produced in Italy by Flos in the 1960s. This fantastic light is unique because of the materials, made of white enameled metal and opal glass. It can be mounted on the wall or on the ceiling. The wall light has been tested, it uses an E27 light bulb. It is signed on the backplate by both Arteluce and Flos. A fantastic piece that will grace a mid-century living room or bathroom. Measures (cms): diameter - 42 height - 32 Literature: Casa Amica, 27 June 1972, p. 105 Octagon 30 September 1973, p. 149 Sergio Polano, Achille Castiglioni all the works, Electa, Milano, 2001, p. 224 Giuliana Gramigna, repertoire 1950-2000, Allemandi, Torino, 2003, p. 121. The beginnings of Flos (meaning “flower” in Latin) blossomed from a brilliant idea: to create objects, starting with a light bulb, that would change the way of life for both the Italian market and the foreign markets. Dino Gavina and the small Eisenkeil manufacturing facility in Merano, had already been creating furniture alongside design masters such as Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Afra and Tobia Scarpa. But by the early 1960s, Gavina became convinced the time had come to create new lamps. Using the same technology – conceived in the USA and tested at Eisenkeil – used for the Cocoon lampthe Castiglioni brothers and the Scarpa duo began creating lamps such as the Taraxacum or the Fantasma, with many other beautiful and surprising lamps to follow. And so, from day one, Flos was already reinventing the idea of artificial lighting. Achille Castiglioni (born February 16, 1918, Milan–died December 2, 2002, Milan) was a prolific furniture, lighting, and product Italian designer renown for his ironic, joyful, creative and functional designs that, at times, intersected with ideas explored by conceptual artists. Achille Castiglioni was born into a family with deep appreciation for the arts, as he was the third son of sculptor and coin engraver Giannino Castiglioni and his wife Livia Bolla. He first studied the classics at the Liceo Classico Giuseppe Parini, but then switched to study art at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan. In 1937, he decided to follow the steps of his two elder brothers, architects Livio and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, by enrolling in the Faculty of Architecture at the Politecnico di Milano, graduating in 1944–after having to interrupt his studies when he was stationed in Greece and Sicily during World War II. In 1944, immediately after graduating, Achille Castiglioni joined his brothers Livio and Pier Giacomo in the design studio that they had founded with Livio’s classmate Luigi Caccia Dominioni in 1937 in Milan. Fortunately for Achille, from the very beginning Livio and Pier Giacomo decided to focus almost entirely on designing exhibitions, furniture, housewares, and appliances since architectural commissions were difficult to come by during the war. This product-design focus, and the deep fraternal bound among the three brothers, would later allow the young Achille to experiment early in his career with emerging techniques and new materials that could communicate a fresh aesthetic sensibility suited for the positive outlook of the post-war European market. The Castiglioni brothers’ important collaboration with Phonola and Brionvega In 1940, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Livio Castiglioni, and Luigi Caccia Dominioni, in collaboration withe the Phonola company, presented in the VII Triennale di Milano (Milan Triennial), titled Exhibition of the Radio, a research study of radio devices that included the Fimi Phonola 547 radio, the first radio encased in Bakelite instead of wood. Shortly after the exhibition, Luigi Caccia Dominioni suspended his professional activity to serve in the military during World War II and left the studio. The development of the FImi Phonola 547 radio would prove fruitful for the three brothers, as it allowed Livio Castiglioni to cement his role as the leading design consultant for Phonola from 1940 until 1960, and for Brionvega, from 1960 until 1964. These relationships brought in further collaboration among the three brothers, and would eventually result in several designs for radio and sound appliances with innovative materials and shapes for which Achille Castiglioni played a key role, such as the RR 226 stereo system for Brinovega (1965), the radio phonograph RR 126 for Brinovega (1965), and the radio and record player RR 128 for Brionvega (1966) In 1952, Livio decided to build his own practice, independent from Achille and Pier Giacomo, to pursue a deeper exploration of radio waves, music, and technology. But the three brothers would continued to collaborate closely in several projects, and the partnership between Achille and Pier Giacomo became so tight that from 1952 until 1968, when Pier Giacomo died, they co-authored most of their designs. Achille Castiglioni Long Career as Light Designer During this period, the Castiglioni brothers participated in the Italian Exhibition of Furniture (RIMA), where they successfully introduced a series of curved-plywood furniture, and presented important designs, such as the Tubino lamp (1949), originally produced by Italian light maker Arteluce from 1949 until 1974, and reintroduced by FLOS since the late 1970s; and the Luminator lamp (1955), originally produced by Gilardi & Barzaghi, but reintroduced by FLOS in the late 1960s. A new, successful, and long-lasting collaboration developed in 1960, when Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni were reached by entrepreneurial Italian designer Dino Gavina and business man Arturo Eisenkeil with the idea to create a completely new kind of lighting fixtures utilizing a polyamide. The material, which they called “cocoon,” in the hands of the Castiglioni brothers would become a popular and iconic innovation in the 1960s and serve as the successful foundation of Italian lighting company FLOS–founded by Gavina and Eisenkeil in 1962. Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni designed a series of “cocoon” lights utilizing the spray-on polyamide plastic as a coating layer onto a metal frame. Among the most popular Castiglioni “cocoon” lights are: the Taraxacum and the Viscontea ceiling lamps (1960), and the Gatto table lamp (1961). Other of the important lamp designs by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni for FLOS are the Beehive -or Splügen Braü lamp (1961), Toio –or Toy lamp...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Large Brass & Opaline Glass Light ball wall/ceiling lamp by Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Larger version (cm 40 diameter) of the light ball serie designed by Achille Castiglioni for Arteluce and Flos in 1960s. Aluminum & polished brass body with white opaline shade. Very ...
Category

1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Rare Single Castiglioni model Padina Wall Light, Italy 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Catania, CT
Rare Padina wall or ceiling lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, made from aluminum and produced during the 60s. Fair vintage condition with trace of age and use an...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Giovi sconces designed by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1982
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Milano, IT
These wonderful Giovi sconces, a masterpiece designed by the visionary Achille Castiglioni for Flos in 1982, are the perfect representation of a timeless and elegant lighting piece ...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Bollo, A Pair of Wall Lights, Flos, 1979
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Flos
Located in Paris, FR
Afra & Tobia Scarpa (1935-2011 & 1935-) « Bollo » A white and a black and white lacquered metal wall lights in the form a fan. Supported with a pierced cylinder whose circular sect...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Tobia Scarpa for Flos White Foglio Applique Set of Four 1970s
By Flos, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Tobia Scarpa for Flos White Foglio Applique Set of 4 1970s The price it's for all 4
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Vintage Nictea pendant light by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos, 1960s
By Flos, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Catania, CT
Elegant pendant light designed by Afra e Tobia Scarpa for Flos in the 1961. Nickeled brass. Original vintage conditions with trace of age and use. Some slight scratches. Glass lens w...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Brass, Nickel

Vintage Flos Splugen Brau Pendant by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1961
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni & Pio Manzu
Located in Roma, IT
Fantastic vintage Splugen Brau pendant lamp in aluminium designed by Achille Castiglioni and produced by Flos in the 1960s in Italy. This lovely p...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum, Metal

Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Fior di loto, A Pendant Light, Flos, 1960s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Flos
Located in Paris, FR
Afra & Tobia Scarpa (1935-2011 & 1935-) « Fior di loto » A white lacquered brass pendant light made of two assembled parts. The upper spheric...
Category

1960s Italian Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Cocoon Table Lamp Metal Brass Skin 1970 Italy
By Flos
Located in Milano, IT
Table Lamp
Category

1970s Italian Other Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Brass

Post Modern Papillona 750 Floor Lamp by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Flos, 1975
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Flos
Located in San Diego, CA
A very stylish and iconic vintage floor lamp designed by Tobia and Afra Scarpa. This is the Papillona lamp made in Italy by Flos in the 1970s. This is in amazing condition and has an amazing design that is typical of design by Tobia & Afra Scarpa. It is predominantly black lacquered metal, with red trim running through the centre and a textured glass shade. There is a dimmer built in halfway up the lamp shaft, and it takes halogen bulbs. This is a beautiful piece of art that would work in any mid century modern or post modern space. Brings in a pop of color with its red trim while still being subtle enough to work well in any bedroom, living room, or office space. Brings in a warm light that can be easily dimmed to set any space to your liking. Dimensions: 10"W x 10"D x 76"H About the Designer: Widely recognized as superstars of postmodern Italian design, husband-and-wife team Afra and Tobia Scarpa (1937–2011; b. 1935) collaboratively created chairs, sofas and other furniture that work equally well in both traditional and cutting-edge environments. Ranging from architecture and interior design to furniture and clothing, the Scarpas’ practice from its beginnings in the mid-1950s to the 21st century has included a diverse scope of projects combining new technology with thoughtful function and sculptural yet simple forms. Afra Bianchin and Tobia Scarpa met as architecture students at the Università Iuav di Venezia. In a class led by architect and furniture designer Franco Albini, they created their first collaborative piece, the Pigreco armchair, later produced with Gavina. After graduating in 1957, Tobia worked for Murano glass company Venini & Co. before the couple opened a studio in Afra’s hometown, Montebelluna, in 1960. (Tobia, the son of famed glass artist and architect Carlo Scarpa, was born in Venice.) For Afra and Tobia, a close collaborative process was pivotal to the success of their designs. The duo was also prolific — they designed for the most influential European manufacturers, including B&B Italia, Cassina, Knoll and FLOS. With respect to the latter, Afra and Tobia were among the legendary Italian lighting maker’s earliest collaborators, and their pioneering designs for the brand included the Papillon lamp...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Floor Lamp Grip by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1980s
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Roma, IT
Floor Lamp Grip by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1985. Black lacquered tubular metal, plastic. Flos original label. H 130 cm. D 25 cm. Very Good condi...
Category

1980s Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

FLOS 2097/18 Suspension Lamp in Steel and Brass, by Gino Sarfatti
By Gino Sarfatti, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Since 1958, this iconic Gino Sarfatti design has served as an ultra-modern representation of the traditional mid-century chandelier. Every detail of this state-of-the-art ceiling lig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Steel

Flos Captain Flint 2700K Outdoor Floor Lamp by Michael Anastassiades
By Flos, Michael Anastassiades
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Elevate your outdoor space with Captain Flint, an elegant Dual-purpose floor lamp serves as an uplight and reading light with its conical shade and refre...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Stone, Steel

Flos Captain Flint 3000K Outdoor Floor Lamp by Michael Anastassiades
By Flos, Michael Anastassiades
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Elevate your outdoor space with captain flint, an elegant dual-purpose floor lamp serves as an uplight and reading light with its conical shade and refre...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Stone, Aluminum

Flos Smithfield C LED 2700 K Sconce Lamp by Jasper Morrison
By Flos, Jasper Morrison
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Part of the Smithfield family, the Smithfield C-ceiling-mounted lamp manages to be both grand and unassuming. Providing direct light through its aluminum body, it is well suited for ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Biagio 282 Table Lamp by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Flos, Italy 1968
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Flos
Located in Roma, IT
Biagio 282 table light is designed by Tobia Scarpa and Afra Bianchin Scarpa, 1968. Made by Flos, Milan H. 34 x 39 x 13.5 cm. Botticino marble. Mar...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Marble

Taraxacum 88 Ceiling Lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, 1988
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Lisboa, PT
This ceiling lamp, model Taraxacum 88, was designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1960 and produced by Flos in 1988. It is made with twenty pressed, polished ...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Chrome

Italian Midcentury Cocoon Gatto Table Lamp by Castiglioni Brothers, Flos, 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Mid-Century Modern cocoon and metal Gatto table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1960s. Table lamp in cocoon model Gatto with structure with internal f...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal

Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos "Taccia" Table Lamp, Italy, 1962
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Naples, IT
Beautiful and very rare first edition of this iconic table lamp model "Taccia" designed by Italian architects Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and published by Flos. Aluminum lampshade...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Flos Lighting

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Bouroullec Modern Black Hardwired Small Aim Light Hanging Pendant, for FLOS
By Flos, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec
Located in Brooklyn, NY
FLOS AIM Small Hardwired Pendant Light in Black by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec Like the others in the AIM family created by the Bouroullec brothers in 2010, the AIM-Small ceiling light...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Flos Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Flos lighting for sale on 1stDibs.

Flos lighting are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Flos lighting, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 204 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 695 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original lighting by Flos were created in the modern style in europe during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider lighting by Vistosi, Sabrina Landini, and Philippe Starck. Prices for Flos lighting can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $200 and can go as high as $17,550, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,275.
Questions About Flos Lighting
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Flos has manufacturing partners in multiple countries. For example, they acquired American developer Lukas Lighting in the 2010s to serve Flos’s North American audience. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary Flos lighting from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Yes, the arc of the Flos Arco floor lamp is designed to allow you to adjust it with ease. Designed in 1962, this iconic style features telescoping detail built into the gracefully arched arm, making it simple to increase or decrease the height. Browse a collection of Flos Arco floor lamps on 1stDibs.

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