Martinelli Luce Mushroom Table Lamp – Metalarte Spain
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.
Metalarte & Martinelli Logo’s
Martinelli Luce Mushroom Table Lamp
Materials: Round black painted metal base. Thin chrome rod, adjustment knob, lamp socket holders & parts. White acrylic diffuser inside a clear green mushroom lampshade. 3 Bakelite E14 sockets.
Height: 55 cm / 21.65”
Width: ∅ 35 cm / 13.77”
Base: ∅ 17 cm / 6.69”
Electricity: 3 bulbs E14, 3 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: Elio Martinelli (1921-2004).
Manufacturer: Martinelli Luce S.P.A. (Società per azioni – Joint-stock company), Via Santa Lucia, 9, 55100 Lucca, Italy. Some 80 km (50 miles) away from Florence and 20 km (13 miles) from Pisa.
Other versions: This Martinelli Luce mushroom table lamp exists with several different colours lampshades: clear green, clear brown and clear violet.
Another version was made with a rod going through the lampshade, without a chrome cap at the top. That version has 2 E14 sockets. The same story for the floor lamp, you can find an example over here.
This lamp and the floor lamp were sold by other companies. In the Netherlands by Artimeta and in Spain by Metalarte. This lamp is a Metalarte lamp, you can tell by the company’s logo stamp at the top of the chrome rod, inside the lampshade. A table lamp that was often used as a desk lamp.
Martinelli Luce
Martinelli Luce was founded in 1950 by Elio Martinelli. He focused originally on interior design and lamps for retail outlets, hotels, restaurants, and public houses. Designers that worked for the company: Adolini+Simonini Associati, Gae Aulenti, Sergio Asti, Michel Bouquillon, Marco De Santi – Studio Natural, Angelo Micheli, Studio Orlandini, Luc Ramael, Karim Rashid, Marc Sadler, Studio Lucchi & Biserni, Brian Sironi, Studio 4P1B and many others.
Elio Martinelli
Elio Martinelli was born in Lucca, Tuscany in 1921. He studied as a set designer at the Institute of Fine Arts in Florence. At first, he worked for his father’s business within the lighting sector. Soon he began designing and installing lighting systems that resulted in the founding of his own company Martinelli Luce in 1950.
Elio Martinelli designed many famous lamps. Many of them are still in production. The Biconica (1987), Duemiladuecentocinquanta (2250 in Italian – 1986), Le Rondini (1984), Foglia (1969), Cono (1980), Blow (1980), Out (1984), Tube (1977), Poliedro (1962), Flex (1969), Gomito (1974), Nuvole Vagabonde (1999), Serpente (1965), Elmetto (1976) and the Cobra (as you can see on the left, in 1968), to name the most important.
His works are on display in many design museums around the world. Martinelli worked until his death in 2004 for the company.
Acrylic
Often named by its commercial name: Perspex, Plexiglas, Crylux, Acrylite, Lucite, is a thermoplastic.
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Vintageinfo
Many thanks to Lluís from Eclectique Vintage for the beautiful photos.