Step Ceiling Lamp in Black Lacquered Metal by Martinelli Luce, 1970s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

A rare ceiling lamp or chandelier (model Step) with a semisphere lampshade in black lacquered aluminum, it was designed by Elio Martinelli and produced by the Italian company, Martinelli Luce during the 1970s.

The concentric shapes repeated in a precise sequence, from which the Step lamp is structured, reveal an attitude of the designer in search of geometric essentiality. It is a lamp characterized by simple and functional lines in which all the elements are inserted into each other reducing to a disk a few centimeters high, with closing system and telescopic opening. Its particular metal lamellar structure recalls some of the most famous lamps by Alvar Aalto and the hexagonal lamp designed in 1959 by Bruno Munare for Danese.

Literature: Emiliana Martinelli, Elio Martinelli e Martinelli Luce, Milano, Mondadori Electa, 2018 pg 155.

Martinelli Luce was born in 1950 thanks to the intuition of Elio Martinelli, one of the most significant designers of the sixties and seventies in the field of lighting, able to transmit to his daughter Emiliana (today at the head of the company) the passion and rigor in her work characterized by an aesthetic language inspired by nature and the purity of geometric shapes, factors that have allowed the brand to become a benchmark in its industry.

Over the years the company collaborates with many important designers such as Gae Aulenti Sergio Asti, Richard Neutra, Studio Orlandini, Marc Sadler, Luc Ramael, Studio Lucchi & Biserni, Angelo Micheli, Karim Rashid, Massimo Farinatti, Paola Navone, Alfonso Femia and in recent years young talents such as Brian Sironi, Marco De Santi - Studio Natural, Studio 4P1B, Studio Habits, Adolini+Simonini Associati and many others.

''We believe in the essential, which for us means no frills or unnecessary frills; the lines we design and that give shape and outline to our products, are both the minimum and the maximum. It is not simply a matter of design: is design concept and production philosophy.

We want to stimulate new points of view by inspiring through our products the curiosity and creativity of people; whether they are engineers, architects, dealers or simply private. To make them see with new eyes what appears to them daily as ordinary.

Through these simple and priceless values for us we are able to remain faithful to the creative culture that pervades every project or product''.

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* The cable of this item may be original and might need replacement, if not specified otherwise.

Creator	Elio Martinelli
Manufacturer	Martinelli Luce
Design Period	1970 to 1979
Production Period	1970 to 1979
Country of Manufacture	Italy
Identifying Marks	This piece has an attribution mark
Style	Mid-Century, Industrial, Italian Modern
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage/antique item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use
Product Code	IVC-1607753
Materials	Metal
Color	Black
Height	40 cm 40 cm
Diameter	70 cm

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Italy
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Details

Delivery will be completed by a parcel service such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
You will receive a tracking number to monitor the status of your shipment.
Delivery will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine the packaging upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damaged packaging, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note, take pictures, and—if the item inside shows damages—contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations regarding damaged packaging represents your acceptance of the completed order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Elio Martinelli

Italian lighting designer Elio Martinelli was born in 1921 in Lucca in Tuscany. He attended a vocational school before going on to study set design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, where he ultimately earned a diploma. After school, he began working in his father’s lighting business, while also taking on his own interior design projects for restaurants, hotels, and shops, with an aesthetic inspired by his set design background. During this period, initially out of necessity, he also began designing and producing his own lighting. In 1950, Martinelli formally established his own lighting company, Martinelli Luce, in Lucca; the company has since gone on to produce numerous lighting designs for domestic and commercial use.

Throughout his career, Martinelli embraced new materials (such as methacrylate), and his work was representative of the midcentury modernist Italian aesthetic, characterized by an organic geometry both rationalistic and expressive. Standout pieces include, among others, the space-age table lamps Serpente (1965), Cobra (1968), and Foglia (1969). Following an invitation from designer Gio Ponti, Martinelli’s company participated in the first edition of the international design exhibition, Eurodomus, held in Turin in 1966. It went on to attend the 1968, 1970, and 1972 editions as well.

Martinelli continued to work until his passing in 2004. The company continues to operate today with Martinelli’s family at the helm. The Montreal Decorative Arts Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Museum of Art in Philadelphia each hold multiple Martinelli Luce models in their permanent collections.

About the Maker

Martinelli Luce

Martinelli Luce has contributed significantly to Italian design, and was a hugely prominent lighting producer in the second half of the 20th century; creating innovative and award-winning lighting throughout its colorful history, collaborating with some of the biggest names in Italian design. Founded in 1950 by designer Elio Martinelli (1921-2004) in Lucca, the company has since gone on to produce numerous lighting designs for domestic and commercial use.

Exposed to the lighting industry from an early age, Martinelli joined his family's business which was originally established sometime in the 1930s. In 1950, wishing to develop and produce his own lighting fixtures, Martinelli established Martinelli Luce and focused on interior design and lights for shops, restaurants, hotels, and the like. His business grew quickly, eventually becoming a household name and reference point Italian lighting design. In 1966, Martinelli Luce was invited by designer Gio Ponti to participate in the first edition of the international design exhibition, Eurodomus, held in Turin. Martinelli Luce exhibited again in 1968, 1970, and 1972; as well as at the 14th and 15th Milan Triennial in 1968 and 1973.

Throughout his career, Martinelli embraced new materials (such as methacrylate plastic), which he used to create functional, yet highly innovative lighting fixtures. Martinelli’s work was representative of the midcentury modernist Italian aesthetic, characterized by an organic geometry that was both rationalist and expressive. Standout pieces include, among others, the space-age table lamps Bolla (1960), Globo (1962), Serpente (1965), Stivale (1967), Cobra (1968), and Foglia (1969), Millepiedi (1972), Elmetto (1976), Dobermann (1980), and the Nuvole Vagabonde (1992-9).

Since its inception, Martinelli Luce has collaborated with many talented and renowned designers including Gae Aulenti, , Michel Bouquillon, Marco De Santi – Studio Natural, Angelo Micheli, Luc Ramael, Karim Rashid, Marc Sadler, Brian Sironi, Studio 4P1B, Studio Lucchi & Biserni, Studio Orlandini, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, and many others. Notable designs include Aulenti ‘s Pipistrello (1965), Ruspa (1968) table lamps; and Sergio Asti’s Profiterolle (1968) and Scafandro (1972) table lamps.

Over the years Martinelli Luce has received several awards, including multiple iF Product Design awards, Compasso D’oro in 2011, and the ADI Design Index Award in 2011 and 2015. Exemplary designs from Martinelli Luce can be found in permanent collections of major museums include the Montreal Decorative Arts Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Museum of Art in Philadelphia.

Martinelli passed away in 2004, but the company continues to operate today under the guidance of Martinelli’s daughter, art director and designer Emiliana. The company offers a wide range of energy efficient lighting systems designed for offices, shops, cinemas, hotels, museums, and commercial, and outdoor areas.