Gaetano Sciolari Toy Wall Lamp

Materials: Rectangular beam wall mount/base with a built-in rectangular switch. White painted metal (aluminium) globe lampshade. Bakelite E14 socket.

Globe: ∅ 14 cm / 5.51”

Base: 14 x 7 cm / 5.51 x 2.75”

Electricity: 1 bulb E14, 1 x 40 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.

Period: 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Gaetano Sciolari in 1968.

Manufacturer: Ecolight, Milan, Italy and Metalarte, Paseo de la Ribera 115, Canovelles, Barcelona, Spain.

Other versions: This Gaetano Sciolari Toy wall lamp exists in several colours.

Often said that this lamp is a design of Ezio Didone, but it is not. Someone once saw it wrong in the famous book written by Giuliana Gramigna: Repertorio 1950 -1980 Immagini e contributi per una storia dell’arredo Italiano (images and contributions for a history of Italian furniture) from 1985. The Squadra wall lamp designed by Ezio Didone is the lamp next to this Toy wall lamp designed by Gaetano Sciolari. All the lamps designed by Ezio Didone are on his website, of course not this one.

This Gaetano Sciolari Toy wall lamp was produced by Ecolight, Italy and sold by the Spanish Metalarte. The Ecolight lamps are labelled inside the globe, the Metalarte lamps have the Metalarte logo pressed in the socket.

Gaetano Sciolari

Angelo Gaetano Sciolari graduated with a degree in architecture but wanted to be a filmmaker. This course came to an abrupt end when in 1949 his father suddenly died and he took over the Sciolari lighting company at the age of 22.

His first designs in the 1950’s were Sputnik inspired pendants; of course it was the space age.

In the 1960’s he created refined, futuristic and sharp classical style chandeliers. Lines were clean and sculptural and materials such as crystal and ice glass sparkled with a voluptuously luxurious coolness and he started combining brass with chrome.

He led the family business with a passionate vision and within years, he expanded the business and started working with other light companies worldwide.

Gaetano Sciolari created lights for Stilnovo, Ecolight, Stilkronen (Italy), Lightolier and Progress Lighting (USA), Metalarte (Spain), S.A. Boulanger (Belgium), Helestra and Leola (West Germany), Lyfa (Denmark) and some other companies and of course for his own Italian family business; the Sciolari company in Rome and Milan; where all the lighting business at that time was present.

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

Ecolight

Ecolight was a brand of the Valenti company.

Valenti was founded in Milan in 1929 as a metalworking company.  It became one of the most important companies of the Italian design movement under the leadership of the brothers Diego and Renzo Phigi.

Famous lighting produced by Valenti: Medusa floor and table lamp, design Olaf Von Bohr in 1968. The Pistillo flush mount/wall lamp, design Studio Tetrarch in 1969. The Medusa lamp was also sold under the Ecolight label.

Ecolight was born in 1968. Many lamps were sold as Valenti and also as Ecolight. This Pillola lamp was sold under both names. Ditto for the Squadra wall lamp. The business was run by Carla and Laura, the daughters of Renzo.

In 2013, SP light and Design was born from the desire of Carla and her husband Luciano to pursue the family business, joined by their eldest daughter, Eleonora.

SP light and Design still sells some of their design icons such as the Hebi table lamp, Pistillo and Pistillino wall lamps and the Medusa floor lamp.

Metalarte

The Metalarte company was founded in 1932 in Cannoveles, some 30 km/19 mi from Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. In the 1960’s and 1970’s it renewed its catalogue and started working with external designers and companies. For instance, they sold lamps produced by Louis Poulsen from Denmark and Arteluce and Stilnovo from Italy. Today the company is part of the Luxonia group. Together with the Troll and Sagelux brands.

Designers that worked for Metalarte are, among others: André Ricard, Enric Franch, Josep Lluscà, Estudi Blanc, Josep Aregall, Oscar and Sergi Devesa, Antoni Arola, Lievore Altherr Molina, Ricard Ferrer, George W. Hansen, Héctor Serrano, Jordi Llopis, Ana Mir, Emili Padrós, Otto Canalda and Ramón Úbeda.