Sciolari Cubic Wall Lamps

Materials: Brushed aluminium square beams. Square pressed clear crystal glass lampshades. Some plastic and metal parts. Bakelite E14 sockets.

Height: 47 cm / 18.50”

Width: 8 cm / 3.14”

Electricity: 1 bulb E14 per lamp, 1 x 40 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred. For this setup silver cupped bulbs were used.

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

Designer: Gaetano Sciolari (1927-1994).

Manufacturer: Sciolari Illuminazione, Rome and Milan, Italy.

Other versions: These Sciolari Cubic wall lamps exists in many variations. The first Cubic lamp was a chandelier with closed glass or plastic: the light bulbs are inside. You can find him over here on Vintageinfo.

Angelo Gaetano Sciolari

Angelo 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 1960s 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 designed lamps for Stilnovo and Stilkronen (Italy), Lightolier and Progress Lighting (USA), S.A. Boulanger (Belgium), Helestra and Leola (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.