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Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Wall Lights and Sconces

Italian, 1913-1968

In partnership with his brothers Livio (1911–79) and Achille (1918–2002), Milanese industrial designer and architect Pier Giacomo Castiglioni played a role in creating 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. 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 Pier Giacomo Castiglioni floor lamps, table lamps, case pieces and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Large 1960s Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo 'Light Ball' Wall or Ceiling Lamp
By Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni
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Large 1960s Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo 'Light Ball' Wall or Ceiling Lamp. Designed in 1965, this rare variant is executed in attractively patinated brass and opaline glass. A...
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1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

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1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Wall Lights and Sconces

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Brass

Pier Giacomo Castiglioni wall lights and sconces for sale on 1stDibs.

Pier Giacomo Castiglioni wall lights and sconces are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of opaline glass and are designed with extraordinary care. Many of the original wall lights and sconces by Pier Giacomo Castiglioni were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 1960s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider wall lights and sconces by Achille Castiglioni, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, and Tobia Scarpa. Prices for Pier Giacomo Castiglioni wall lights and sconces can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,400 and can go as high as $2,400, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,400.

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