Vico Magistretti Lambda sconces Artemide Italy 1961

Wonderful Lambda wall sconces designed by Vico Magistretti and manufactured by Artemide in Italy in 1961. When these lamps are turned on, they have a charming industrial look, thanks to the ribbed glass shades with frosted insides. They are supported by chrome-plated metal structures that have developed a lovely patina over time. Vico Magistretti was one of the first designers to collaborate with Artemide, a company originally founded in 1959 for making lamps and later expanded to furniture. Starting in 1961, Magistretti designed lamps characterised by Greek alphabet-inspired names and forms, like the Lambda lamp from the same year. This lamp consists of two opaline crystal shades held together by a metal support. The crystal shades have raised edges and horizontal engravings, creating a contrast with the vertical metal plate, making the lamp quite expressive. Hanging them on the wall is made easy.

Priced and sold in a set of 2.

These lamps are checked in our own atelier, cleaned and is suitable for use in the USA.

One of the most influential architects and designers in the 1960s, Ludovico Magistretti known by the nickname Vico, was born in Milan in 1920 into a family of architects. He enrolled in the school of architecture in 1939, and in 1943 moved briefly to Switzerland, where he met and frequented the architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers from Trieste, founder of BBPR. Magistretti considered Rogers to be one of his masters. Returning to Italy in 1945, he obtained his degree in Architecture and immediately began working in his father’s studio, who died that same year.

Magistretti was a prominent exponent of Italian Design, the cultural movement and phenomenon that spread Italian style throughout the world during the post-war period creating the myth of Italian design. His approach was based on close collaboration between designers and manufacturers throughout the process that started from the definition of the concept and ending with the execution of the final product. A great advocate of mass production, he was fascinated by the possibility of reproducing an object several times to ensure furniture for everyone, as the Bauhaus motto states. For Magistretti, a good design object can and must last 50 or 100 years. Some of his creations have become true icons and are still in production. They include the Eclisse lamp for Artemide, Compasso d’Oro in 1967; the Atollo lamp for Oluce; the Maralunga sofa and the Nuvola Rossa bookcase for Cassina; the Nathalie bed and Tadao for Flou; He worked for many other brands including De Padova, Fritz Hansen, Fontana Arte and Kartell. He died in Milan on September 19, 2006.