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The golden age of vintage lighting

. Whether it's a desk lamp, a suspension lamp or a floor lamp, many publishers are no longer hesitating to re-edit some of the great classics of the...

Design MarketSeptember 2018
Lampe de Marseille Le Corbusier
Lampe Jieldé
Lampadaire Toio rouge Castiglioni
Lampe Taccia
Lampe Snoopy
Lampe Arco Castiglioni
Lampes Eclisse Vico Magistretti Artemide
Lampe Atollo Oluce
Lampe Pipistrello Gae Aulenti Martinelli
Suspension PH Artichoke Poul Henningsen
Lampe AJ Arne Jacobsen
Suspension Falkland Bruno Munari
Lampe Lucellino Ingo Maurer
Applique Lucellino Ingo Maurer
. Whether it's a desk lamp, a suspension lamp or a floor lamp, many designers are no longer hesitating to re-edit great classics, or to revisit certain pieces. Why do they do this? Because some of the greatest names in twentieth-century design have happily, and often successfully, taken on the task of designing a luminaire. From the 50s to the end of the 70s, the golden age of vintage design, designers used light to express their creative potential to the full. Since 2010, Nemo, a Cassina subsidiary, has not escaped the trend towards a strong comeback in vintage lighting. Since 2010, it has reissued the Lampe de Marseille wall lamp, created in 1954 by Le Corbusier. Since 2010, Nemo, a Cassina subsidiary, has not escaped the trend towards a strong comeback in vintage lighting. Since 2010 it has been reissuing the Lampe de Marseille wall lamp, a 1954 creation by Le Corbusier . Copyright: Pinterest Copyright: Pinterest It has to be said that the most talented and inventive designers during this period were Italian and Scandinavian. In full development in the post-war period, Italian furniture manufacturers made lighting their speciality. Publishers specialising in the discipline were even created, and today they continue to perpetuate their know-how. Here's a look at some of the most creative vintage lighting designs of the period. It has to be said that the most gifted and inventive designers during this period were Italian and Scandinavian. Italian furniture manufacturers were booming in the post-war period, and specialised in lighting. Publishers specialising in the discipline were even created, and today they continue to perpetuate their know-how. Here's a look at some of the most creative vintage lighting designs of the period. Among the different styles of twentieth-century design, many designers wanted to infuse their lighting with an "industrial spirit". Such is the case with the Jieldé lamp, a classic of industrial design. Created in 1950 by Lyon-based inventor Jean-Louis Domecq, this lamp, originally designed for industrial environments, has made a remarkable comeback since the 1990s. Jielde industrial desk lamp Jielde industrial desk lamp model Loft D4040. Design by Jean-Louis Domecq, 1950. Is lighting an Italian speciality? We're tempted to say yes. Founded in 1962 in Merano, the Italian company Flos, which specialises in lighting systems, was quick to call on the great designers of its time. This led to a fruitful collaboration with the Castiglioni brothers (Achille: 1918-2002 and Pier Giacomo: 1913-1968). Among the Castiglioni brothers' iconic designs for Flos are the Toio floor lamp (1962), and the Taccia Taccia (1962) and Snoopy Snoopy (1967) table lamps. Red Toio floor lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1962. Inspired by a 300-watt car headlight, the Toio floor lamp consists of a cut and bent steel base. The telescopic rod with a hexagonal cross-section is made of nickel-plated brass and is height-adjustable. Flos continues to produce this classic design luminaire. Red Toio floor lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1962. Inspired by a 300-watt car headlight, the Toio floor lamp consists of a cut and bent steel base. The telescopic rod with a hexagonal cross-section is made of nickel-plated brass and is height-adjustable. Flos continues to produce this classic design luminaire. Red Toio floor lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1962. Inspired by a 300-watt car headlight, the Toio floor lamp consists of a cut and bent steel base. The telescopic rod with a hexagonal cross-section is made of nickel-plated brass and is height-adjustable. Flos continues to produce this classic design luminaire. Taccia table lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos. 1962 Taccia table lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos. 1962 . Resembling a large spotlight, the Taccia has an inimitable style with its ribbed aluminium base on which is articulated a deep bell made of mouth-blown transparent glass. Resembling a large spotlight, the Taccia has an inimitable style with its ribbed aluminium base to which is hinged a deep bell in mouth-blown clear glass. Snoopy lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1967. Inspired by the cartoon character, the Snoopy combines a painted metal reflector with a white marble base - original and timeless! Snoopy lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1967. Inspired by the comic strip character, the Snoopy combines a painted metal reflector with a white marble base. Original and timeless! Snoopy lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1967. Inspired by the cartoon character, the Snoopy combines a painted metal reflector with an original, timeless white marble base! These three lamps bear witness to the creative genius of the Castiglioni family, who designed both useful lights such as the height-adjustable Toio Toio and objects with a singular aesthetic such as the Taccia Taccia and the Snoopy Snoopy . 1962 was a landmark year for Flos, which brought out an iconic piece of vintage design: the famous Arco lamp, still by the Castiglioni brothers. A lamp with a unique style, with its characteristic arched shape and Carrara marble base giving it a certain elegance. Arco lamp by the Castiglioni brothers, 1962. Flos continues to produce this exceptional light. Arco lamp by the Castiglioni brothers, 1962. Flos continues to produce this exceptional luminaire. Arco lamp by the Castiglioni brothers, 1962. Flos continues to produce this exceptional luminaire. Other ambassadors of Italian lighting genius were Artemide, Oluce and Martinelli Luce. In 1967, Milanese designer Vico Magistretti (1920-2006) designed the Eclisse Eclisse lamp for Artemide. A small desk lamp in the shape of a sphere, its design allows light to be directed and modulated. Another master stroke, this time for the publisher Oluce in 1977, was Vico Magistretti's Atollo Atollo lamp, for which he won a Compasso d'Oro. In 1965, the publisher Martinelli Luce brought out an iconic model that is still highly prized by collectors: the Pipistrello Pipistrello lamp. Designed by interior architect Gae Aulenti (1927-2012), the lamp takes its name from the silhouette of a pipistrelle (bat), "pipistrello" in Italian. Lamps Eclisse Eclisse lamps, designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, 1967. Composed of a fixed spherical structure inside which pivots a half-sphere that, depending on its orientation, can evoke an eclipse, the Eclisse has lost none of its charm. design Vico Magistretti for Artemide, 1967. Composed of a fixed spherical structure inside which pivots a half-sphere which, depending on its orientation, can evoke an eclipse, the Eclisse has lost none of its charm. Atollo table lamp, designed by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, 1977. The result of an incredible exercise in style, the dome of the Atollo lamp seems to float in space. A true work of art! Atollo table lamp, designed by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, 1977. The result of an incredible exercise in style, the dome of the Atollo lamp seems to float in space. A true work of art! Atollo table lamp, designed by Vico Magistretti for Oluce, 1977. The result of an incredible exercise in style, the dome of the Atollo lamp seems to float in space. A true work of art! Pipistrello lamps, designed by Gae Aulenti for Martinelli Luce, 1965. Published by Martinelli Luce since its inception, the lamp has never been revisited since and continues to be produced identically more than 50 years after its creation. Pipistrello lamps, designed by Gae Aulenti for Martinelli Luce, 1965. Published by Martinelli Luce since its creation, the lamp has never been revisited since and continues to be produced identically more than 50 years after its creation. Pipistrello lamps, designed by Gae Aulenti for Martinelli Luce, 1965. Published by Martinelli Luce since its creation, the lamp has never been revisited since and continues to be produced identically, more than 50 years after its creation. Scandinavian designers, who favoured organic design with a focus on natural forms, also left their mark on the lighting of the time. In 1958, the Danish writer and architect Poul Henningsen (1894-1967) designed the famous PH Artichoke suspension lamp, named for its resemblance to the plant. Designed with 72 copper "leaves" in 12 alternating circular rows for Louis Poulsen, this luminaire with its distinctive look is still considered a vintage design "must-have". As well as being original, this luminaire is designed never to diffuse blinding light. So, whatever the angle of the room you're in, the 'artichoke' never diffuses direct light. PH Artichoke suspension lamp, designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, 1958. PH Artichoke suspension lamp, design by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, 1958. PH Artichoke suspension lamp, designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, 1958. Also for Danish lighting specialist Louis Poulsen, designer Arne Jacobsen designed the AJ AJ table lamp in 1960 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. The lampshade, wall box and arm are made of steel. Here again, the designer favoured a soft, comfortable light, thanks in particular to the white-painted interior of the lampshade. AJ vintage desk lamp by Arne Jacobsen AJ vintage desk lamp by Arne Jacobsen for Louis Poulsen, 1960. Organic design is not just the preserve of Scandinavians. Bruno Munari (1907-1998) demonstrated it brilliantly in 1964 when he designed the Falkland Falkland lamp for the publisher Danese. Its tubular shape, inspired by Munari's research into natural organisms, remains timeless and is just as suited to contemporary interiors. The designer also thought about easy assembly. What's more, the object's fabric texture ensures that it diffuses a soft light. Falkland hanging lamps, designed by Bruno Munari for Danese, 1964. Falkland hanging lamps, designed by Bruno Munari for Danese, 1964. Falkland suspension lamps, designed by Bruno Munari for Danese, 1964. Lastly, we can't mention the most famous lights of twentieth-century design without mentioning the creations of German designer Ingo Maurer (1932). Like Gaetano Pesce for his furniture pieces, Maurer, who devoted his career to designing lighting ensembles, designed lighting devices imbued with poetry. Take the Lucellino Lucellino desk lamp, designed in 1992 and also available as a wall lamp. Two hand-crafted white goose feather wings adorn the base of the incandescent lamp, diffusing the light directly. A graceful, poetic work of art... Lucellino table lamp, designed by Ingo Maurer for Ingo Maurer GmbH, 1992. Lucellino table lamp, design Ingo Maurer for Ingo Maurer GmbH, 1992. Lucellino table lamp, design Ingo Maurer for Ingo Maurer GmbH, 1992. Lucellino NT wall lamp, design Ingo Maurer for Ingo Maurer GmbH, 1992. Lucellino NT wall lamp, Ingo Maurer design for Ingo Maurer GmbH, 1992. Lucellino NT wall lamp, Ingo Maurer design for Ingo Maurer GmbH, 1992. Written by François Boutard. Written by François Boutard.

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