Franco Albini

Boetto, Genoa, 31 October 2013, lot 2140

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Private collection, Germany

A shop and some furniture, Stile, n. 25, January 1943

House of a publisher - furnished by the architect Giovanni Romano, Stile, no. 30, June 1943

Lamps in a Milan Shop, Interiors and Industrial Design, November 1948, p. 115

Federico Bucci and Fulvio Irace, Zero Gravity: Franco Albini Costruire le Modernita, Milan, 2006, pp. 123, 265

Giampiero Bosoni, Federico Bucci, Il Design e gli Interni di Franco Albini, Milan, 2016, pp. 65-66, 125

This lot is sold with a certificate of authenticity from the Fondazione Franco Albini.

As indicated by the Fondazione Franco Albini, this lot is an early and rare example of the iconic floor light ‘Mitragliera’, resembling a tripod machine gun with a shade at the end of the barrel, designed by Franco Albini, and part of the few early custom-built models that the architect designed in the light’s initial development phase between 1942-1943.

Albini started working at the 'Mitragliera' design at the end of the 1930s by executing few prototypes with different details and materials. The light firstly appeared in the photographs of Albini’s apartment in Via De Alessandri (1938), and later in Via De Togni as well as at the VII Triennale of Milan (1940). A publication of Interiors of 1948 shows the 'Mitragliera' light as part of Gino Sarfatti’s Arteluce production; just a few, probably less than ten, are estimated to have been produced by Arteluce.

The 'Mitragliera' lamp is a testament to Albini’s avant-garde approach to lighting design combining the unique and striking appearance of a machine gun, with functional flexibility and a high degree of adjustability. The lamp's sculptural form also adds a touch of artistic elegance to any interior space. Today, the 'Mitragliera' lamp serves as a lasting tribute to Albini's contributions to the world of modern design, reminding us of his innovative spirit and enduring legacy.