Franco Albini Lighting
Italian, 1905-1977
While working under the polymath Gio Ponti — arguably the most important figure in 20th-century Italian modernism — furniture designer Franco Albini nurtured a love for modern forms combined with traditional craft techniques.
Albini is widely known for working with organic materials such as rattan and cane for his chairs and other seating, but he also played a pivotal role in the Italian rationalist movement of the early 20th century, which saw architects and furniture makers applying a strict emphasis on geometry in their work. Rationalists drew on Ancient Roman architecture but rejected ornament, much in the way that Le Corbusier and celebrated Bauhaus figures such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe had in their modernist furniture.
Albini received his degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1929, and, in 1931, he founded his practice in Milan, where he tackled workers’ housing and other reconstruction projects. A gifted urban planner, he also developed the Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Rosso and Tesoro di San Lorenzo museums in Genoa. While Albini is revered for his Margherita chair — a Triennale Milano award winner created for Bonacina in 1951 — he also collaborated with manufacturers Poggi and Cassina in the 1940s on seating, tables and more that embodied his artistic vision. Of that mid-century work, the one piece that perhaps best captures this vision is the iconic Luisa chair.
With its cherry red upholstery and sinuous wooden legs that seem to float aboveground, the Luisa is a genuine masterpiece. It is also a testament to Albini’s perfectionism, as it endured several prototypes — including one made by Knoll in the late 1940s — and took approximately 15 years to design. Poggi launched the final version of the armchair in 1955, earning Albini the prestigious Compasso d’Oro from Italy’s Association for Industrial Design. It is produced today by Cassina. Albini named the chair for someone who likely saw the process firsthand: his personal secretary of two decades, Luisa Colombini.
Find vintage Franco Albini furniture on 1stDibs.
to
3
24
6
26
4
Height
to
Width
to
28
10
6
6
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
20
2
26
4
23
3
5
15
2
1
26
11
10
6
5
29
29
30
26
26
191
1,437
1,177
1,092
1,081
Creator: Franco Albini
Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Arteluce 'Ochetta' Wall Lights
By Franca Helg, Arteluce, Franco Albini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Arteluce, Ochetta wall lights model '141', metal, frosted glass, Italy, 1962.
The Ochetta wall lights, designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
Midcentury Floor Lamp Rattan, Bamboo and Fabric Franco Albini, Italy 1960s
By Franco Albini
Located in Oirlo, LI
Exceptional midcentury floor lamp in bamboo, rattan and fabric, attributed to Franco Albini
Crafted in Italy in the 1960s, showcasing a perfect balance between natural materials an...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Fabric, Bamboo
Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Arteluce 'Ochetta' Wall Light
By Franco Albini, Arteluce, Franca Helg
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Arteluce, Ochetta wall light, model '141', metal, frosted glass, Italy, 1962.
The Ochetta wall lights, designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
Franco Albini and Franca Helg AM2C Opaline Glass & Chrome Floor Lamp for Nemo
By Nemo Lighting 1, Franca Helg, Franco Albini
Located in Glendale, CA
Franco Albini and Franca Helg AM2C opaline glass and chrome floor lamp for Nemo.
Franco Albini and Franca Helg were Italian architects and designers, famous for combining modern des...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome, Metal
Midcentury AM/AS Table Lamp by Franco Albini for Sirrah, 1969
By Franco Albini
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Midcentury AM/AS table lamp by Franco Albini for Sirrah, 1969.
Category
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Franco Albini Wall Lamp for Sirrah, Italy, 1960
By Sirrah, Franco Albini
Located in Wilnis, UT
Elegant wall lamps designed by Franco Albini, manufactured by Sirrah in Italy, circa 1960. Designed for the AM/AS series.
Made of high quality chrome plated metal. The lamp is des...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
$1,802 / item
Franco Albini and Franca Helg 'AS1C' Table Lamp for Nemo in Glass & Black Chrome
By Nemo Lighting 1, Franco Albini, Franca Helg
Located in Glendale, CA
Franco Albini and Franca Helg 'AS1C' table lamp for Nemo in Glass and Black Chrome.
Franco Albini and Franca Helg were Milanese architects, famous for combining modern design with t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
Franco Albini & Franca Helg Model 524 Sculptural Lucite Chrome Lamp Arteluce
By Arteluce, Franco Albini, Franco Albini and Franca Helg
Located in Troy, MI
A sculptural Lucite and chrome lamp designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Arteluce
Italy circa 1952
Sunburst design of eight acrylic pane...
Category
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome
Chromed AS/AM Series Table Lamp by Franco Albini for Sirrah 1960s
By Franco Albini
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Table lamp with structure and lampshade entirely realized in chromed steel, from the AM/AS series designed by the iconic duo Franco Albini and Franca Helg and manufactured by Sirrah ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Steel
Franco Albini and Franca Helg 'AS41Z' Pendant Lamp in Handblown Glass for Nemo
By Nemo Lighting 1, Franco Albini, Franca Helg
Located in Glendale, CA
Franco Albini and Franca Helg 'AS41Z' pendant lamp in handblown glass for Nemo
Franco Albini and Franca Helg were Italian architects and designers, famous for combining modern desig...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome, Aluminum, Steel
Vintage Floor Lamp Attributed to Franco Albini, 1950s
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
The vintage Italian floor lamp is attributed to the great Designer Franco Albini. The lamp is from the 1950s. The vintage floor lamp has a wooden frame with V-shaped feet to make it more stable. The vintage floor lamp has a brass tube where its light cap...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Aluminum
$6,728 Sale Price
20% Off
Franco Albini wall lamp for Sirrah. Made in Italy 1960
By Franco Albini
Located in Genève, GE
Franco Albini for the Sirrah AM/AS wall lamp.
Designed and manufactured in Italy in the 1960s.
Chrome-plated and enameled metal.
Takes 1 medium-base bulb. (See picture)
The lamp is ...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
Rare Albini Chromed Floor Lamp AM/AS, 1969
By Antonio Piva, Franco Albini, Franca Helg, Sirrah
Located in Barcelona, ES
Rare floor lamp designed by italian architects Franco Albini, Franca Helg and Antonio Piva as part of the AM/AS lamps series for the italian company Sirrah in 1969. Chromed steel str...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome
Table Lamps "AM/AS" by Albini, Helg, Piva for Sirrah
By Sirrah, Franca Helg, Antonio Piva, Franco Albini
Located in Milan, IT
Beautiful table lamps model "AM/AS" by Franco Albini, Franca Helg, Antonio Piva.
Opaline glass and chrome frams can be changed with their universal terminal.
Two pieces available, p...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Opaline Glass
$3,340 / item
An Italian 1970s woven bamboo and brass ceiling light by Bonacina
By Franco Albini, Bonacina
Located in London, GB
An Italian 1970s woven bamboo and brass ceiling light by Franco Albini for Bonacina, with black lacquered ceiling rose. Re wired with new brass fitting, black cord flex and PAT test...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Brass
Pair of table lamps by Franco Albini for Sirrah, model Colibrì, Italy
By Sirrah, Franco Albini, Franca Helg, Antonio Piva and Franco Albini
Located in Argelato, BO
Rare pair of "Colibrì" model table lamps, designed by the famous Italian architect and designer Franco Albini together with Franca Helg and Paolo Piva for Sirrah, Italy, 1983.
This ...
Category
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Plastic
AM-AS Series Floor Lamp by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Sirrah, 1969
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, Lombardia
AM-AS series Floor Lamp by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Sirrah, 1969.
Rare lamp combination of the chrome-plated steel with the handblown white glass shade. You can change the p...
Category
1960s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Steel, Chrome
Table Lamp Series AM.AS. by Franco Albini and Franca Helg, 1960s
By Franco Albini, Franca Helg
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Table Lamp Series AM.AS. realized by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Sirrah in 1960s.
Composed of a T-shaped base and a curved neck that supports a frosted glass lampshade...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
Franco Albini and Franca Helg 'AM1N' Opaline Glass Table Lamp in Chrome for Nemo
By Franco Albini, Franca Helg, Nemo Lighting 1
Located in Glendale, CA
Franco Albini and Franca Helg 'AM1N' Opaline Glass Table Lamp in Chrome for Nemo
Inspired by organic shapes, this table lamp features an onion-shaped diffuser executed in opal white...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
Large Vintage Italian Chrome Table Lamp by Franco Albini
By Sirrah, Franca Helg, Franco Albini
Located in London, GB
A stunning and very large vintage Italian chrome table lamp by Franco Albini and Franca Helg. This was manufactured in Italy by Sirrah, it dates from the 1970’s.
This is the very ra...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome
Ceiling Lamp Model Am4z by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Sirrah
By Sirrah, Franca Helg, Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Beautiful ceiling lamp designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg in the 1950s for the fine Sirrah manufacture.
The lamp is made of totally chromed metal, the hat is a half sphere in...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
$1,153 Sale Price / item
20% Off
Brown Wire Ceiling Lamp by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Sirrah
By Sirrah, Franca Helg, Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Beautiful ceiling lamp designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg in the 1950s for the fine Sirrah manufacture. Model AM4Z.
The lamp by Franco Albini is made of totally chromed metal...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal
$1,153 Sale Price
20% Off
Chrome, Glass Floor Lamp "AM/AS" by Albini, Helg, Piva for Sirrah, Italy 1960s
By Franca Helg, Franco Albini, Sirrah, Antonio Piva
Located in Milan, IT
Imposing floor lamp model "AM/AS" by Franco Albini, Franca Helg, Antonio Piva.
Milky glass shades can be changed with their universal terminal.
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome
"AM/AS" Adjustable Ceiling Lamp by Albini, Helg and Piva for Sirrah, Italy, 1960
By Franco Albini
Located in Milan, IT
Adjustable AM/AS ceiling light fixture by Franco Albini, Franca Helg and Antonio Piva for Sirrah. Beautiful opaline glass and chromed frame. Also a pendant lamp available from the sa...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Opaline Glass
Italian AM/AS steel chandelier by Franco Albini and Franca Helg, Sirrah 1960
By Sirrah, Franco Albini and Franca Helg, Franco Albini, Franca Helg
Located in MIlano, IT
Chandelier from the AM/AS series, modern and Italian, in chromed steel, designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Sirrah, ca. 1960.
Chandelier from the AM/AS series, with a bell ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Steel
Franco Albini & Franca Helg AM/AS Table Lamp in Steel by Sirrah 1960s Italy
By Sirrah, Franca Helg, Franco Albini
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Table or desk lamp with structure and lampshade entirely realized in chromed steel, it as a part of the AM/AS series designed by the iconic duo Franco Albini and Franca Helg and manu...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Steel
Franco Albini Franca Helg Table Lamp Model 524 Arteluce, 1963
By Franco Albini, Franca Helg
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Stunning large table lamp model 524 designed by duo Franco Albini and Franca Helg and manufactured by Arteluce, Italy 1963. This beautiful geometric table lamp is made of several lay...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome
Suspension lamp, AM/AS series, Franco Albini, Sirrah, 1969
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Suspension lamp, AM/AS series, designed by Franco Albini for Sirrah in 1969. Part of an extremely innovative modular system for its time, the AM/AS series includes floor, table and p...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Metal, Gold Plate
Pair of AM/AS Franco Albini chandeliers for Sirrah 1960's chrome version
By Sirrah, Franco Albini
Located in Milano, MI
Pair AM/AS series pendant lamps, with mirror steel shape and inside of lampshade enameled in matte white. Designed in the 1960s by Franco Albini for Sirrah. The lamps are in excellen...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome
Table lamp model “524" by Franco Albini, Italy, 1952
By Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, ES
Table lamp model “524”
Made in collaboration with Franca Helg
Manufactured by Arteluce
Italy, 1952
Openwork Perspex in a chrome frame
Measurements
41 Ø cm x 47h cm.
16,14 Ø in x 18,5...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Lighting
Materials
Chrome
Franco Albini lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
Franco Albini 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 Franco Albini lighting, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 25 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 5 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original lighting by Franco Albini 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 lighting by Alessandro Pianon, Luigi Massoni, and Giuliana Gramigna. Prices for Franco Albini lighting can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $209 and can go as high as $10,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,969.
Creators Similar to Franco Albini
Franca Helg, Antonio Piva and Franco Albini
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Franco Albini Furniture
Franco Albini Seating
Franco Albini Tables
Franco Albini Mirrors
Franco Albini Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Franco Albini Decorative Objects
Franco Albini Wall Decorations
Franco Albini Folk Art
Franco Albini Wall Mirrors
Franco Albini Armchairs
Franco Albini Racks and Stands
Franco Albini Bookcases
Franco Albini Chairs