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Achille Castiglioni VLM Switches

Materials: Bakelite. Since the 2000s the 450 switches are made in plastic. Brass parts, sometimes chromed brass parts inside – conductive electrical parts.

Electricity: 110/220 volt.

Period: 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Achille Castiglioni (16 February 1918 – 2 December 2002) designed this collection of switches in 1968. Some of these switches are still in production and for sale via the internet (today also via the Relco website) or in retail shops around the world.

Manufacturer: VLM Components Buccinasco, Italy.

VLM Components was founded in 1945 in Buccinasco, a small village near Milan, Italy. VLM Components is part of the Relco Group, founded in 1967. Today they own the brands Relco, Leuci, Relco Lighting, VLM and Segno

Text from the former VLM-website:

His pride and joy was a light switch.

You can’t say Achille Castiglioni wasn’t prolific: the architect and industrial designer worked on 290 industrial design projects, 480 exhibitions and 191 architectural projects throughout his career.
Today, countless companies including Flos, Zanotta and VLM are still producing his designs. If you ask his daughter Giovanna which object he prized the most, the answer you will get is: the VLM switch.
He used to say: “Can you believe it? I’m in everyone’s house!

Achille Castiglioni VLM Switches 450 and 475 – White Bakelite

Achille Castiglioni VLM Switches 450 and 475

Achille Castiglioni VLM Switches 450 & 475

VLM Switch D-661 Black – Bakelite and plastic bottom

Achille Castiglioni VLM Switch D-661

VLM Switch D-661 scheme

VLM Switch D-662 – Bakelite and plastic bottom

Achille Castiglioni VLM D-662 switch

VLM Switch D-662 scheme

VLM Switch D-662 used for the Harvey Guzzini Brumbry Table Lamp

VLM D-662 switch - Harvey Guzzini Brumbry Table Lamp

VLM Switch D-662 used for the Ettore floor lamp Ernesto Gismondi designed for Artemide. You can find this floor lamp on the Artemide catalogue, here on Vintageinfo.

VLM-switch D-662 Ettore Sottsass - Artemide