Lamperti Pelota Desk Lamp – La Maison De Marie-Claire Magzine 1972
Lamperti Pelota Desk Lamp
Materials: Curved black plastic lampshade. White plastic layer on the inside. Chromed metal (iron) perforated front plate. Some small metal parts. Bakelite E14 socket.
Height: 31.75 cm / 12.50”
Width: 22.86 cm / 9”
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, 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: Studio D.A.: Cesare Maria Casati and Carlo Emanuele Ponzio in 1968.
Manufacturer: Lamperti, Robbiata, Como, Italy.
Other versions: The Lamperti Pelota desk lamp exists in many colours, but was only made in one size.
Pelota
The name Pelota originates from a Bask (Spain) ball game that is 400 years old, called pelota vasca. Pilota in the original Basque language also pelota vasca in Spanish; pelote basque in French. The pelota is known to be the hardest ball of any sport. It is roughly 3/4 the size of a baseball and is harder than a rock. It’s not the ball, but the throwing stick called xistera or chistéra that looks the same as this lamp. Wikipedia (link opens in a new window): Basque pelota
The game is called pelota vasca in Spain but the Western Hemisphere name of Jai-alai, which is Basque for “merry festival”, was given when it was introduced in Cuba. More info on this website: www.jai-alai.info (link opens in a new window)
Studio D.A.
Studio D.A. was founded by Cesare Maria Casati, born in 1936, and Carlo Emanuele Ponzio (1923 – 2015) in 1965 in Milan, Italy. The company received many awards over the year for their designs.
Cesare Maria Casati is an Italian architect, designer, journalist and cultural influencer. He studied at the Polytechnic University of Milan. Casati started his career with the famous designer Gio Ponti as his pupil.
Since 1967 he is a member of the Italian association for industrial design, the ADI.
From 1976 until June 1979 Cesare Maria Casati was the editor in chief of the magazine Domus.
From January 1981 until June 1985 he was editor in chief of the magazine La Mia Casa (My Home).
Studio D.A. designed many beautiful lamps such as the Pillola (pill) table lamp for Ponteur in 1968 and the Disco pendant and table lamp for Design House (Harvey Guzzini). You can find the Disco pendant lamp over here. Another Lamperti table lamp can be found over here.
Lamperti
The Lamperti company was founded in 1948 and ended business somewhere in the nineties. Not much information to be found about it, unfortunately.
An American company with the name Lamperti Associates exists. It was founded in 1965 by Al Lamperti and is located in San Rafael, California. They are furniture makers and the company is still active.
The Pelota game, here in the the film Cuba from 1979. Starring Sean Connery, Brooke Adams and Jack Weston.
The Xistera
Lamperti Pelota desk lamp
White version
Pillola (pill) table lamp – 1968 – Ponteur
