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Arteluce Furniture

Italian

The lighting maker Arteluce was one of the companies at the heart of the creative explosion in postwar Italian design. The firm’s founder and guiding spirit, Gino Sarfatti (1912–85), was an incessant technical and stylistic innovator who almost single-handedly reinvented the chandelier as a modernist lighting form. 

Sarfatti attended the University of Genoa to study aeronautical engineering but was forced to drop out when his father’s company went out of business. His mechanical instincts led him to turn his attention to lighting design — and he founded Arteluce as a small workshop in Milan in 1939. Sarfatti’s father was a Jew, so the family fled to Switzerland in 1943, but after the war — largely thanks to Sarfatti’s insistence on efficiency of design and manufacture — Arteluce quickly established itself as a top firm.

Though Sarfatti continued as chief designer through the 1950s and ’60s, he also enlisted other designers such as Franco Albini and Massimo Vignelli to contribute work. Sarfatti sold Arteluce to FLOS — a rival Italian lighting maker — in 1973 and retired to pursue a more traditional avocation: collecting and dealing rare postage stamps. 

Sarfatti is regarded by many collectors as a pioneer of minimalist design. He pared down his lighting works to their essentials, focusing on practical aspects such as flexibility of use. His most famous light, the 2097 chandelier, is a brilliant example of reductive modernist design, featuring a central cylinder from which branches numerous supporting fixtures extending like spokes on a wheel.

Similarly, Sarfatti's 566 table lamp is a simple canister, able to be raised or lowered on a stem, holding a half-chrome bulb. Despite the marked functionality of his designs, Sarfatti did have a sprightly side: His 534 table lamp, with its cluster of rounded enameled shades, resembles a vase full of flowers, the Sputnik chandelier (model 2003) was inspired by fireworks and the brightly colored plastic disks of the 2072 chandelier look like lollipops. No matter the style, Sarfatti concentrated first and foremost on the character of light created — and any Arteluce lamp is a modernist masterpiece.

Find vintage Arteluce table lamps, chandeliers, floor lamps and other lighting on 1stDibs.

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Period: 1990s
Creator: Arteluce
Arteluce table lamp Pao2 design Matteo Thun, 1990s
By Matteo Thun, Arteluce
Located in Parma, IT
Pao2 table lamp designed by Matteo Thun for Arteluce Anni '90. Satin-finished glass base,ebonized wood stem and opaline soffito glass diffuser. Large variant. Original electrical sy...
Category

1990s Italian Space Age Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood

PAO Floor Lamp by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, Italy 1990
By Matteo Thun, Arteluce
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A beautiful elegant floor lamp, designed by Matteo Thun and manufactured by Flos in Italy around 1990. This is a rare first edition of this iconic piece! It has a warm brown woode...
Category

1990s Italian Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ezio Didone “Mira S” UFO Pendant Light for Arteluce / Flos, Italy, 1990s
By Ezio Didone, Arteluce
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
Postmodern UFO or flying saucer pendant light giving diffused upward and downward light. Designed in the 1990s by Ezio Didone and manufactured by Arteluce (in those years division of...
Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Wall Lamp "Drop 1" Design Marc Sadler for Arteluce, 1995
By Arteluce, Marc Sadler
Located in taranto, IT
wall lamp produced by arteluce, model "drop 1", made in 1995 to a design by marc Sadler, made of external water-resistant silicone and light blue colored technopolymer Measures 26 cm high by 13 cm wide, new, never used, old stock, in its original arteluce...
Category

1990s Italian Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Silicone

Pair of White‚ Drop 1’ Wall Lamps by Marc Sadler for Arteluce, Italy, 1993
By Arteluce
Located in Hagenbach, DE
A pair of wall lamps by Marc Sadler for Arteluce made in Italy in 1993. The shade of the lamp is made of silicon and has a beautiful white color. The base is made of hard plastic.  
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Silicone

Lampada da terra 'Graal Alfa' di Arteluce Anni 90
By Arteluce
Located in Milano, IT
Lampada da terra a luce riflessa, in metallo e alluminio smaltati. Buone condizioni.
Category

1990s Italian Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Lampada da terra 'Graal Alfa' di Arteluce Anni 90
By Arteluce
Located in Milano, IT
Lampada da terra a luce riflessa, in metallo e alluminio smaltati. Buone condizioni.
Category

1990s Italian Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

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Cini Boeri for Arteluce Mod.235 Wall Lamp, Italy 1970s
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Model 50 Wall Lamp by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, 1968
By Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
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Slamp Lafleur Battery Table Lamp by Marc Sadler
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Slamp Lafleur Battery Table Lamp by Marc Sadler
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Free Shipping
H 10.24 in Dm 5.91 in
Large version Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce and Seguso glass pendant, Italy 1960s
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Arteluce "Pao" Table Lamp by Matteo Thun
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Gianfranco Frattini for Arteluce Table Lamp
By Gianfranco Frattini, Arteluce
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Gianfranco Frattini for Arteluce, table lamp, model 597, chrome-plated aluminium, rayon, Italy, 1961. Gianfranco Frattini designed this innovative table lamp for Arteluce in 1961. A...
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Gianfranco Frattini for Arteluce Table Lamp
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H 17.72 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Mattheo Thun 'Laguna 26' Table Lamp for Artemide
By Matteo Thun, Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, Artemide
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Pair of Italian Sconces Model 237/2 by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce 50s Wall Lamp
By Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
Located in Lyon, FR
Pair of wall lamps model 237/2 of the famous Italian designer Gino Sarfatti published by Arteluce in the 1950s. Black lacquered metal structure (original paint) and double diffusers ...
Category

1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal

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 Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal

Sarfatti Pendant for Arteluce, Model 2102
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in New York, NY
Italian Mid-Century pendant, model 2102, by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce. Off white metal shade with frosted glass diffuser and brass hardware. Holds one light source. Condition: Ex...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Brass

Black & White Metal Mod. 2133 Pendant Lamp, G. Sarfatti for Arteluce Flos, 1970s
By Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
Located in Varese, Lombardia
The model 2133 was designed and manufactured by Gino Sarfatti for his own company Arteluce in 1972. Since 1974 this model was produced by Flos after the merge of the 2 Companies. The...
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1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Arteluce Furniture

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Aluminum

Arteluce "Triana" Italian Wall Lamp
By Arteluce
Located in Wien, AT
Arteluce's ”Triana” wall lamp featuring two sets of interchangeable Murano glass. Original condition.  
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Steel

Arteluce "Triana" Italian Wall Lamp
Arteluce "Triana" Italian Wall Lamp
H 11.42 in W 12.6 in D 10.63 in
Previously Available Items
Lampada da terra 'Graal Alfa' di Arteluce Anni 90
By Arteluce
Located in Milano, IT
Lampada da terra a luce riflessa, in metallo e alluminio smaltati. Buone condizioni.
Category

1990s Italian Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Lampada da terra 'Graal Alfa' di Arteluce Anni 90
By Arteluce
Located in Milano, IT
Lampada da terra a luce riflessa, in metallo e alluminio smaltati. Buone condizioni.
Category

1990s Italian Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Aurora Arteluce Perry King Chandeliers (2) Glass, Brass, Italy, 1990
By Arteluce, Perry King
Located in Vienna, AT
Set of two 23.6“ chandeliers from laminated blue glass - priced individually Fontana Arte classic designed by Perry King for Arteluce. Two large flying saucer chandeliers from lamin...
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1990s Italian Post-Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Glass

Matteo Thun for Arteluce "Pao T1" Table Lamp, Italy 1990s
By Arteluce, Matteo Thun
Located in Naples, IT
Rare table lamp Mod. "Pao T1" by Matteo Thun for Arteluce Italia 1990. The Pao lamp has a body made of steel and cherry wood, the diffuser is made of frosted ...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal

Wall Lamp "Drop 1" Design Marc Sadler for Arteluce, 1995
By Arteluce, Marc Sadler
Located in taranto, IT
wall lamp produced by arteluce, model "drop 1", made in 1995 to a design by marc Sadler, made of external water-resistant silicone and light blue colored technopolymer Measures 26...
Category

1990s Italian Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Silicone

Arteluce "Pao" Table Lamp by Matteo Thun
By Arteluce, Matteo Thun
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Arteluce "Pao" table lamp by Matteo Thun Italy 1990s.
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1990s Italian Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Metal

Table lamp, anonymous, for Arteluce, Italy. 1990's.
By Arteluce
Located in Stockholm, SE
Murano glass and bakelite. H: 27,5 cm/ 10 3/4'' D: 18 cm/ 7''
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1990s Italian Modern Arteluce Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass, Bakelite

Pair of Arteluce "Servul" 1990s Italian Wall Lights, Josep Lluscà
By Arteluce
Located in New York, NY
A sleek pair of 1990s Italian "Servul" sconces by Arteluce. They are compose of an enamel luna shade with wood base. Rewired. Servul wall lamp, designed by Josep Lluscà, is a wall...
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1990s Italian Futurist Arteluce Furniture

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Enamel

Arteluce furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Arteluce 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 Arteluce furniture, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Arteluce 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 Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Gae Aulenti, and Ercole Barovier. Prices for Arteluce furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $167 and can go as high as $222,496, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,774.

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