Flickr Widget

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Gino Sarfatti

Gino Sarfatti
Gino Sarfatti (1912-1984) was born in Venice and studied aeronaval engineering at the University of Genoa.

His work with lighting began in 1939, when he started the Arteluce Company. The company quickly became the industry leader for the modern architecture movement.
During his 30-year career, Sarfatti designed and produced more than 400 lamps and fixtures and tirelessly researched new materials and production technologies.

Arteluce became a meeting place and forum for many of Italy's leading designers during the 1950s and 1960s, including Franco Albini, Massimo Vignelli, Ico Parisi and Franca Helg.

Arteluce was awarded numerous prizes, including the Compasso d'Oro in 1954 and 1955, as well as the Honorary Diploma of the Milan Triennale.

From flos.com

Desk lamp
antiquehelper.com
Wall sconce
architonic.com
Louvered fixture
icollector.com
Chandelier
liveauctioneers.com
Floor lamp
1stdibs.com
Sputnik chandelier
elledecor.com
Wall sconce
mondocane.com
Chandelier
michaelabauer.com

10 comments:

  1. Super nice lighting! Do you know if this was the original Sputnik design and others copied?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, what we call "Sputnik" lights today were designed by Sarfatti for Lightolier in 1954, before the real Sputnik satellite was even launched a few years later. The lights were for Lightolier, and there was actually a series of four...the Astral, the Mobile, the Sparkler and the Skyrocket. They were produced for five years, and even back then, knockoffs were everywhere.

      Delete
  2. Sarfatti did some amazing stuff! Do you happen to know how to differentiate between an original Sputnik and a knockoff?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I imagine there would be some subtle changes in design or finish, but I don't really know enough about lighting to tell the difference.

      Delete
  3. Thanks...both the flush mount 8 arm foyer light and the 12 arm chandelier I have here in the store have the old union labels and are definetely vintage but I don't think they the have the Lightolier label. Still nice quality though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have one that we need to restore, but I'm pretty sure it's a knockoff too.

      Delete
  4. Don't get us started on lights .... we haven't got time to have a lighting crush too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everybody has to have at least one lighting crush, even if it means setting the clock to get up a little earlier every morning to make time for it. :)

      Delete
  5. The Sputnik is something I wouldn't mind hanging on my ceiling.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's undoubtedly one of the most copied light fixtures of the era, so a lot of people must have agreed with you!

      Delete