Italy, circa late 1950s

Now a timeless classic -  geometric design, iconic of the period and never bettered. Rare and original with superlative materials, stunning aged patina with 12 beautiful opaline satin glass balls (glass of this period has a quality all of it's own). Conceived and manufactured by design house Stilnovo founded in 1946 in Milan by Bruno Gatta.

Stilnovo: Founded in 1946 by Bruno Gatta, Stilnovo is a significant part of the first wave of post World War II Italian design companies specializing in the production of innovative, functional lighting.

At its most productive between 1950 and the late 80s, Stilnovo worked with a number of Italy’s leading designers, including Danilo and Corrado Aroldi, Gaetano Sciolari, Alberto Fraser, Joe Colombo and Ettore Sottsass. A contemporary of companies such as Fontana Arte and Arteluce, Coming at a time when the idea of function was combined with new types of materials to produce pared and texturally novel forms, it was an era of experimentation, where the neo-realism movement tussled with the philosophy of organicism, and where architects borrowed from, subverted and discarded the artisan based Craft-art that had for centuries been Italy’s dominant creative force. However, it would be wrong to generalize with regards to a specific Stilnovo style.

The organic lyricism of the Aroldis can be easily contrasted with the highly balanced look of Gaetano Scolari’s molecular Stilnovo Chandelier. Constructed from opaline glass, perspex and brass, Scolari’s chandelier was produced in 1955, and is a good example of the time’s penchant for severe and geometrically balanced forms.

Dimensions: H 97cm x W 90cm