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Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Italian

Milanese industrial designer-architects Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1918–2002; 1913-68) created some of the most iconic furniture designs in the world, particularly those that originated in the realm of mid-century modern lighting. 

In the late 1930s, after graduating from the acclaimed Polytechnic University of Milan, Pier Giacomo opened a design studio with his brother Livio and likeminded architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni. Achille, also a graduate of Milan Polytechnic, joined the group after completing his studies in 1944. The era’s architects were encountering difficulty in their attempts to secure building commissions, so the group focused on designing practical everyday objects such as the Model 547, a tabletop radio for Phonola that was encased in Bakelite

The Castiglioni brothers produced wildly popular and innovative designs throughout the 20th century. While Livio departed the practice in 1952 to pursue lighting design and sound technology on his own, Pier Giacomo and Achille would continue to collaborate on a wealth of projects in the ensuing years. 

Vintage furniture collectors may be familiar with Livio and Italian designer Gianfranco Frattini’s serpent-like Boalum lamp, while Achille’s Taraxacum hanging lamp — created for FLOS with sprayed plastic polymers originally intended for military use — as well as the Arco, Snoopy and Toio lamps, which were the result of the collaboration between Pier Giacomo and Achille, are milestones in modernist lighting design

Also for FLOS, Pier Giacomo and Achille created a series of metal frames that, wrapped in the polymer, became floor lamps (Gatto) or pendant lights (Viscontea and Taraxacum), all released in 1960. The Gatto floor lamp takes its name from the Italian word for “cat” and the inspiration for its aesthetic from lighting that George Nelson developed for legendary American furniture manufacturer Howard Miller during the 1940s. Around the same time, the designer Tobia Scarpa (son of the famed Italian architect Carlo Scarpa and one-half of the widely revered postmodern husband-and-wife design duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa) created a floor lamp called Fantasma (1961) using the polymers technique. FLOS continues to make the Castiglionis’ innovative pieces today.

In addition to their provocative lighting works, Pier Giacomo and Achille also created stereo systems, decorative objects, seating, tables and other items for the likes of Brionvega, Alessi, Zanotta, Kartell and more.

Find vintage Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni floor lamps, table lamps, pendants, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$3,107
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Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Arco Lamp
Arco Lamp
Castiglioni Toio Floor Lamp
Castiglioni Toio Floor Lamp
Snoopy Lamp
Snoopy Lamp
Castiglioni 'Cocoon' table light 'Gatto' large size. Italy c1960
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in London, GB
Large 'Gatto' table light by Castiglioni. Italy c1960 Lovely warm patina. In very good condition with not holes or tears. Minimal age marks.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Metal

Mezzadro stool, Achille Castiglioni for Zanotta, 1958
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Stool, single piece, Achille Castiglioni, Zanotta, Italy, 1958, chrome-plated steel, yellow enameled sheet metal seat and beech wood base, Zanotta trademark on the frame, famous for ...
Category

1950s Italian Modern Vintage Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Metal, Steel

Mid-Century Round Beige "Cocoon" Pendant by Achille Castiglioni, Italy 1960s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning mid-century round "Cocoon" chandeliers designed by Achille Castilglioni and produced in Italy during the 1960s. This stunning cocoon is in spectacular condition and with an...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Metal, Steel

Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Zanotta 'Bramante' Table in Maple
By Zanotta, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Zanotta, 'Bramante' dining or studio table, maple, Italy, design 1950, production 1980s A remarkable and cutting-edge design by the celebrate...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Maple

RR126 Radiophonograph & Record Player by the Castiglionis for Brionvega 1965
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Brionvega
Located in Seattle, WA
Brionvega RR126 A.K.A. the “Musical Pet”. Designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1965. Originally from Italy Both the machine and the Dual 1209 record player has been se...
Category

1960s Vintage Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Steel

Italian Arco Floor Lamp, Achille, Pier Giacomo Castiglione, Flos Italia 1962
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Miami, FL
Italian Arco Floor Lamp, Achille, Pier Giacomo Castiglione, Flos Italia Offered for sale is an iconic Italian mid-century modern lighting design, the "Arco" floor lamp designed by A...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Carrara Marble, Metal, Chrome, Wire

FLOS Taccia Led in Silver w/ Glass Diffuser, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Castiglioni brothers often created designs that challenged our perspective, and the Taccia, which gives the illusion of an upside-down hanging lamp, is an inspired example of tha...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Aluminum

Italian Chandelier Teli 374 by Achille Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1980s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Chandelier Teli 374 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1980s Iconic and vintage Chandelier mod Teli 374 with square base. The diffuser is made up of tw...
Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Materials

Metal

Browse all Furniture from Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
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Creators Similar to Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

More Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Designs
Arco Lamp
Arco Lamp
Average Price
$3,660
Number Available
8
Arco Lamp
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Materials
Marble, Stone, Metal, Carrara Marble, Steel
Styles
Mid Century Modern
It was a humble street light that inspired Achille Castiglioni (1918–2002) and his brother Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1913–68) to design their Arco lamp. The two men, along with their eldest brother, Livio, were the sons of prominent Milanese sculptor Giannino Castiglioni, and all became trained architects. Achille graduated from the acclaimed Polytechnic University of Milan in 1944 and joined Pier Giacomo and Livio in the design studio they'd opened with Luigi Caccia Dominioni. With large arc...
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Castiglioni Toio Floor Lamp
Castiglioni Toio Floor Lamp
Average Price
$1,636
Number Available
5
Castiglioni Toio Floor Lamp
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Materials
Metal, Brass, Steel
Styles
Modern, Mid Century Modern
The idea of the readymade didn’t just upend the art world, it also provoked a wave of invention in design. This provocative spirit is alive and well in the Toio floor lamp, which sees an integration of automotive parts as well as everyday recreational gear. Along with their eldest brother, Livio, Pier Giacomo (1913–68) and Achille (1918–2002) Castiglioni were born in Milan and for a time, the three worked together in their own firm as architects and designers. While Livio departed the practic...
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Snoopy Lamp
Snoopy Lamp
Average Price
$1,675
Number Available
4
Snoopy Lamp
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Materials
Marble, Metal, Stone, Glass
Styles
Mid Century Modern
With an oblong black head that sits atop a tilting white marble base, the Snoopy lamp’s shape playfully brings to mind the snout of the canine main character in Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip. The design, one of many innovative collaborations by the Italian brothers Achille (1918–2002) and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1913–68), was introduced in 1967.After graduating from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1944, Achille joined the urban planning, architecture and industrial design s...
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Achille And Pier Giacomo Castiglioni furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni furniture 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 Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 148 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 49 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Achille Castiglioni, Angelo Brotto, and Marcello Fantoni. Prices for Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $310 and can go as high as $33,374, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,880.

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