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 practice in 1952, Pier Giacomo and Achille would continue to collaborate on a wealth of projects in the ensuing years. The pair shared an experimental nature and injected personality and wit into the wide range of their celebrated mid-century modern designs, such as the Arco lamp, the Snoopy lamp and lots more.
Inspired by Marcel Duchamp, the brothers often used found objects in their designs, notably in the Mezzadro Tractor stool, the Super Sella stool and the Toio floor lamp. Produced by FLOS in 1962, the Toio (“toy”) incorporates a car headlamp and elements of a fishing pole. The height of the headlamp, which always faces up to provide indirect light, is adjustable, while fishing-rod rings at intervals along the stem help guide the electrical cord. At the base, a mechanism similar to the cleats on a boat keeps the cord neatly coiled and tucked away from view. These inventive utilitarian touches earned the fixture a coveted spot in MoMA’s permanent collection. Unusual and delightful in equal amounts, the Toio floor lamp is still manufactured by FLOS and reminds us that humor is a potent element of design.
"Toio" floor lamp designed by Achille &Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos 1960ca
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Milano, Lombardia
"Toio" floor lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, manufactured by Flos, 1960s, Italy. Floor lamp made of steel with white-painted elements, an adjustable stem, an...
Steel
Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Toio, Floor Lamp, Flos, 1960s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Paris, FR
Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002) & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1913-1968) Toio A lacquered metal floor lamp. The half spherical bulb vertically supported with an hexagon shaped, nickel-plated brass stem on white enamel steel base supporting a green lacquered transformer. Flos sticker under the base. Produced by Flos, Italy. 1962. Literature Domus n°400, March 1963, p.49 Abitare n°14, March 1963, p.42 Ottagono n°30, September 1973, p.153 Giuliana Gramigna, Repertorio 1950/1980, Arnaldo Mondadori Editore, Milano, 1985, p.188 Sergio Polano, Achille Castiglioni, Pall Mall, 2012, p.192-193. Futurissimo, L’utopie du design italien...
Metal
Toio Floor Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1962
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Amsterdam, NL
An icon of 20th-century industrial design, the Toio floor lamp was created in 1962 by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos. A radical reinterpretation of the tra...
Steel
Italian modern white metal Toio floor lamp by Castiglioni Brothers, Flos, 1970s
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern White metal Floor lamp Toio by Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s. Floor lamp mod. Toio with diffuser for indirect light. The stru...
Metal
FLOS Toio Floor Lamp in Red by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Buffalo, NY
Its designers named it for the English word for “toy,” for good reason: This inventive lamp inspires the imagination, blending an industrial style with a timeless and whimsical desig...
Steel, Stainless Steel
Italian modern floor lamps Toio by Achille Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Flos, 1970s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern floor lamps Toio by Achille Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s Pair of floor lamps model Toio with indirect light diffusers. The structure consists of a red-pain...
Metal
Arco floor lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Flos 1980
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
No more words about this iconic, outstanding minimalism design and timeless masterpiece by Achille Castiglioni for Flos. This model is a reedition from the 1980's with the original...
Carrara Marble, Stainless Steel, Chrome
'Toio' Floor Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1960s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in New York, NY
Floor lamp model Toio designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in the 1960s. Black lacquered metal base, hexagonal chrome drawn as a stem equipped with fishing rod l...
Metal, Aluminum
$1,735
H 19.1 in Dm 14.7 in
FLOS Taccia Small Table Lamp in Black by 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...
Aluminum
$2,310 / item
H 76.77 in W 6.69 in D 6.69 in
FLOS Toio Floor Lamp in Red by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Its designers named it for the English word for “toy,” for good reason: This inventive lamp inspires the imagination, blending an industrial style with a timeless and whimsical desig...
Stainless Steel
1960s Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo 'Light Ball' Table Lamp
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1960s Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo 'Light Ball' Table Lamp. Originially designed in 1965 as a wall lamp, this rare table lamp variant is executed in attractively patinated bras...
Brass
$1,840 / item
H 14.52 in W 15.51 in D 15.51 in
FLOS Snoopy Table Lamp in Green by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The masterful table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni gets a dazzling makeover. Collectors now have a new reason to cherish the Snoopy table lamp by Achille and Pier Gi...
Marble, Steel
$1,735 / item
H 19.1 in W 15 in D 15 in
FLOS Taccia Small Table Lamp in Bronze by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
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...
Aluminum
$1,840 / item
H 14.52 in W 15.51 in D 15.51 in
FLOS Snoopy Table Lamp in Black by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The playful personas of the Castiglioni brothers are evident in their Snoopy design, named for the beloved cartoon character and featuring a distinctive, light-hearted shape. The ori...
Marble, Steel
$4,150 / item
H 91.33 in W 86.61 in D 11.5 in
Castiglioni Arco Modern Arch Stainless Steel & Marble Floor Lamp, FLOS, in stock
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
FLOS Arco LED Floor Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni This lamp is ready for its close-up: Featured in Hollywood classics including diamonds ar...
Marble, Aluminum, Stainless Steel
$2,377
H 25.6 in Dm 19.69 in
Iconic "Taccia" Table Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1960s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brescia, Brescia
An iconic piece of Italian design, this Taccia table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos. It has been gently displayed only in a showroom window for a short period,...
Metal, Aluminum
$3,000
H 94.5 in W 86.6 in D 12.6 in
Vintage Pier Giacomo Achille Castiglioni - Flos 'Arco' Marble & Steel Floor Lamp
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The Carrera marble base has very slight, barely noticeable yellowing. Telescoping arm shows signs of light oxidation, but operates well. The polished and coated/sealed aluminum shade shows light scuffs and scratches. Wiring is original. Lamp works as it should. In very good shape for being ~70 years old. This lamp is not signed. I'm guessing the manufacturer's sticker label dried out and fell off. Typically, the labels were adhered to the ceramic bulb socket, which would heat up and dry out the glue. Also notice the small hole perforated diffuser, on which the polished aluminum shade rests and pivots, is unusual. Many lamps have the larger holes found on the more recently made examples. The small holes diffuser is found on the vintage Flos Arco...
Carrara Marble, Steel
"Viscontea" Hanging Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in bruxelles, BE
Metal and resin hanging lamp stamped Flos. Model: Viscontea. Height maximum with cable: 300 cm. wear due to time and age of the lamp. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PR...
Metal
1990s Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Taccia Lamp for Flos
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Camden, ME
Designed in 1962 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and manufactured by Flos in Italy, the Taccia table lamp is a landmark of twentieth-century industrial modernism. This 1990s ...
Aluminum, Chrome
Flos Arco Floor Lamp with Marble Base by Achille Castiglioni
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Rochester, England
The Flos Arco Floor Lamp is a timeless piece of lighting design. Designed by Achille Castiglioni, this iconic lamp features a sleek, curved arm and a sturdy ...
Marble, Aluminum
Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos 'Toio' Floor Lamp
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for FLOS, 'Toio' floor lamp, lacquered steel, iron, nickel-plated brass, glass, Italy, 1962 A floor la...
Brass, Steel, Iron, Nickel
'Bi Bip' Floorlamp by Achille Castiglioni for FLOS
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
The Bibip Floor Lamp exemplifies Achille Castiglioni’s inventive approach to everyday design. Conceived in 1976 for Flos, the lamp features a movable shade and articulated stem, allo...
Steel
Sold
H 61.03 in W 7.09 in D 7.88 in
Toio Floor Lamp in Red by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Vigevano, PV
A special 300-watt automobile headlamp, imported in the early 1960s from the United States, is exploited in this light fixture. In Toio the light source suggests the type of lightin...
Steel, Iron
Sold
H 61 in W 6.7 in D 8.3 in
'Toio' Floor Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1960s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in New York, NY
Floor lamp model Toio designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in the 1960s. Black lacquered metal base, hexagonal chrome drawn as a stem equipped with fishing rod l...
Metal, Aluminum
Lamp 'Toio' by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos Anni 80
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Milano, IT
Iconic indirect light floor lamp with steel base, steel profile frame, and hexagonal section stem made of telescopic nickel-plated brass.
Brass, Steel
Sold
H 20.48 in Dm 25.2 in
Taraxacum ceiling lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1960
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Taraxacum ceiling lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1960, first production, amazing patina. Internal structure in white painted steel, sprayed with spec...
Metal
Sold
H 76.5 in W 8.27 in D 8.27 in
Flos Toio LED Red by Achilles And Piergiacomo Castiglioni Floor Lamp
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Rochester, England
With its legendary silhouette and diffuser inspired by car headlights, the Toio floor lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1962) is a 20thth Century icon. This model is feat...
Metal
Sold
H 76.5 in W 8.27 in D 8.27 in
Flos Toio LED Red by Achilles And Piergiacomo Castiglioni Floor Lamp
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Rochester, England
With its legendary silhouette and diffuser inspired by car headlights, the Toio floor lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1962) is a 20thth Century icon. This model is feat...
Metal
TOIO Floor Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo CASTIGLIONI, vintage
By Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Berlin, Berlin
Floor lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962. Italy, FLOS. Varnished steel base in black lacquer, adjustable nickel-plated metal stem. Classic lightbulb. Lit...
Metal
Italian modern red floor lamp Toio by Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Red floor lamp Toio by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s Floor lamp mod. Toio with indirect light diffuser. The structure is made up of a rectangular base in red p...
Metal
Italian modern red floor lamp Toio by Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Red floor lamp Toio by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1970s Floor lamp mod. Toio with indirect light diffuser. The structure is made up of a rectangular base in red p...
Metal
Sold
H 62.21 in W 7.88 in D 8.27 in
Lampada da terra Toio italiana moderna, metallo, di Castiglioni per Flos, 1970s
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Lampada da terra Toio con diffusore a luce indiretta, la struttura è formata da una base in metallo verniciato bianco e uno stelo esagonale in metallo, che supporta il cavo elettrico...
Metal
