Gaetano Sciolari Chrome Tubes Floor Lamp

Materials: Round chromed metal base. Three long, thick chrome tubes. Adjustable Bakelite E27 sockets.

Height: 145 cm / 57.08”

Base: ∅ 29 cm / 11.41”

Electricity: 3 E27 globe bulbs, 3 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Different types of globe bulbs can be used, but silver-tipped globe bulbs are preferred.

Period: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Angelo Gaetano Sciolari (1927-1994).

Manufacturer: Société Anonyme Boulanger, Anderlecht, Belgium.

Other versions: This Gaetano Sciolari chrome tubes floor lamp also exists in brass. In the early 1980s it was also produced in white painted metal. The sockets of these floor lamps are adjustable, allowing the globe bulbs to line up neatly with the tubes.

Angelo Gaetano Sciolari

Angelo Sciolari graduated with a degree in architecture, although he originally wanted to become a filmmaker. That path came to an abrupt end in 1949, when his father suddenly died and he took over the family lighting company at the age of 22.

His first designs in the 1950s were Sputnik-inspired pendants; it was, of course, the beginning of the Space Age.

In the 1960s he created refined, futuristic and sharply classical chandeliers. The lines were clean and sculptural, while materials such as crystal and ice glass added a cool, luxurious sparkle. During this period he also began combining brass with chrome.

He led the family business with a strong personal vision and expanded it within only a few years. Sciolari also worked with several lighting companies worldwide.

Gaetano Sciolari created lighting for Stilnovo and Stilkronen in Italy, Lightolier and Progress Lighting in the United States, S.A. Boulanger in Belgium, Helestra and Leola in West Germany, Lyfa in Denmark and other companies. He also designed, of course, for his own Italian family business, the Sciolari company in Rome and Milan, where much of the Italian lighting industry was concentrated at the time.

Sciolari was the founder and first president of the Italian lighting manufacturers’ trade association, the AIDI. The Associazione Italiana di Illuminazione was founded in 1958 and still exists today.

S.A. Boulanger

S.A. Boulanger was founded in Anderlecht, Belgium, in 1945. The company became well known for the large number of lamps it produced that were designed by Gaetano Sciolari. At some point in the 1980s the company changed its name to Les Ateliers Boulanger NV.

For a long time it was thought that these were two different companies. That misunderstanding was partly caused by a Belgian trader who repeatedly claimed that the lamps came from Herstal, near Liège.

In 1996 the company had 11 employees. In 1998 the firm moved to Martelarenlaan 155 in 3010 Kessel-Lo, near Leuven. Between 1995 and 2001, Jean-Philippe Spalart was CEO. He carried out a feasibility study for transferring production to China, Eastern Europe and Africa, including a possible relocation of manufacturing to Zimbabwe.

Boulanger specialised in metalworking and manufactured high-end lamps and lighting fixtures. Les Ateliers Boulanger ended business in 2006.

Massive & Boulanger

Massive sold several Boulanger models over the years. The main differences are usually the typical Massive canopy or ceiling cap and a few other small parts.

Old text from the 1990s

“Boulanger sells mainly in the high-end lighting markets in Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. The growing sales in the US and in South Africa are of growing importance to the company. Due to the highly competitive market, having product with a high added value is very important. The intelligent lamp is an important advantage, compared to our competitors, and will increase our market share in an important way.

The most important local competitors are Massive, a Belgian company, market leader in Europe (turnover of 100 MEUR), Deknudt at Deerlijk (turnover 2.5 MEUR) and some 10 other Belgian competitors of its own size. There is important competition from southern European and Asian competitors. The market share of Boulanger is only a few percent of the share of the Belgian companies. It is a small company with a turnover of about 300 k EURO.”

“Most Boulanger lamps are low voltage and halogen lamps (220V up to 300W or 12V up to 50W).
The products are sold to retail shops. In Belgium, about 300 retail shops sell its products. There are around 40 retail shops abroad: Luxembourg, Germany, France and South Africa.”