Gino Sarfatti model 573 desk lamp Arteluce Italy 1956

$8,041.35

£5,894.98

€8,167.50VAT Included

CA$11,076.55

A$11,218.39

CHF 6,444.40

MX$136,037.45

NOK 74,754.25

SEK 76,091.23

DKK 51,472.65

About the Item

Rare model 573 desk or table lamp designed by Gino Sarfatti and manufactured by Arteluce, Italy 1956. This very nice direct table lamp has a cast iron base, covered with the trademark finish in black crackle paint. The centre stems are made of chrome plated metal and are adjustable in different positions and angles. A solid aluminium ball in the centre is the adjusting mechanism which was also used in other models. The typical Sarfatti shade was used in different versions of his lamps and is a combination of anodized aluminium and has a green plexiglass diffuser ring which gives a nice light effect when lit. In this lamp Sarfatti created balance between direct light and decorative light. The green diffuser ring makes sure you don’t stare directly into the lamp and also gives the appearance that it is lit where in fact this is only the light bulb reflecting on the ring. The cable which exists at the end of the arm and goes into the centre stem, takes on a decorative as well as functional value. This lamp is perfect as a desk lamp for example due to its multiple adjusting functions. The lamp uses an E27 bulb up to 100 watts, can use an LED bulb as well and is dimmable. The lamp is in original condition with age related wear which is visible on the pictures. This adds character to the lamp and if wanted this could be restored. This lamp is checked in our own atelier, cleaned and is suitable for use in the USA. For US usage we could change the plug, or you can get a converter if needed for a floor or table lamp with transformer in it. Feel free to inquire for options. Literature; Gino Sarfatti: Selected Works 1938-1973 Marco Romanelli and Sandra Severi – 2012, page 101 and 434.

Creator:
Gino Sarfatti (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 20.08 in (51 cm)Width: 23.63 in (60 cm)Depth: 5.91 in (15 cm)
Power Source:
Plug-in
Voltage:
220-240v
Lampshade:
Included
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Aluminum,Plexiglass,Steel
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1956
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Roosendaal, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU933035850102

Shop All Gino Sarfatti

Gino Sarfatti

That a spiky, futuristic chandelier named “Sputnik,” which was highly suggestive of the Soviet satellite of the same name, designed by an Italian engineer could predate the space age and the satellite’s launch by a few decades is the stuff of legend. But in 1939, Venetian-born Gino Sarfatti channeled his obsession with light and expert engineering skills into a design so bold it predicted the future. He would go on to design around 700 lighting products in his lifetime — each table lamp, wall light, pendant and chandelier superb and unorthodox in shape.

Sarfatti’s singular focus on creating opulent lighting designs that were rational in their use of resources makes him one of the most innovative lighting designers in history. He was studying to be an aeronautical engineer at the University of Genoa when his family’s financial troubles led him to drop out and move to Milan to help. During this time, he built a lamp for a friend using a coffee machine’s electric components and a glass vase. This exercise sparked his fascination with lighting, and he went on to found Arteluce in 1939. What followed was a period of working with skilled artisans and tinkering with materials instead of sketching. The self-taught designer soon established himself as a creator of provocative, sculptural luxury lighting. Through the company, he collaborated with some of the 20th century’s most influential designers, such as Vittoriano Viganò, who worked on Arteluce lighting between 1946 and 1960. In the 1950s and ’70s, Franco Albini, Franca Helg, Ico Parisi and Massimo Vignelli all contributed designs.

Sarfatti used resources mindfully and injected functionality into everything he designed. His light fixtures were lightweight, easy to take apart and reassemble and could be affordably repaired. This marriage of utilitarianism and glamour lent Sarfatti’s designs a clean, minimal yet arresting splendor, based on their graphical forms and construction.

After World War II, Sarfatti embraced new wiring technologies and materials like plexiglass, such as his 1972 project with Carlo Mollino that filled the Teatro Regio in Turin with hundreds of plexiglass pipes. In 1973, Sarfatti sold Arteluce to FLOS. His foresight, invention and fearlessness as a designer are revered to this day.

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