GINO SARFATTI: a man of light !

The eldest of three brothers, he was born of a Jewish father and a Catholic mother, in a family of the rich commercial middle class.

After classical studies, he attended the University of Aeronaval Engineering in Genoa. In 1935 the family moved to Milan where, after an experience in the sale of artistic glass, he worked both with his own small company and with the Lumen company: on his writing paper he defined his commitment as rational illumination. He attends Franco Albini, Lucio Fontana, Lica and Albe Steiner. In February 1939 he founded Arteluce Società Anonima A.L. with some exponents of the Milanese company and became its General Manager. The company has as its corporate purpose the lighting fixtures, lighting applications, furniture components as well as the study and construction of furnishings.

From the beginning the lamps do not have a name but are identified with a number that is progressive within the category:

• from nº 0 the reflectors and special wall luminaires, (much later he will start from 50 mirrors with lights and lamps for bathroom furnishings)
• from nº 100 the wall-mounted luminaires
• from the nº 500 the table appliances
• from 1000 the floor appliances (stems and flasks), since 2000 the suspended lamps
• from the nº 3000 the ceiling lights

Model 1073:

Model 1073, a reflected light floor lamp designed in 1956 and then used again with variantions, is characterized by the assembly of three units obtained through a special, patented concept of aggregate bases. In the 1956 version the bases, of painted cast iron (different colours were available), were still individually electrified. The stems are in different heights, respectively 198cm,178 cm and 168 cm.

Model 1073 was certainly one of the longest-runningunits designed by Gino Sarfatti. It stayed in the catalogue, thanks to updated versions, from 1956 to 1974.