Rare Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce ’339/3’ Three-Armed Floor Lamp

Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce, floor lamp, model ’339/3’, enameled aluminum, brass, marble, Italy, 1952

Designed by Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce in 1952, this floor lamp shows a beautiful balance between functionality and sculptural presence that defines Italian mid-century lighting. The lamp features three adjustable arms in patinated brass, each culminating in a delicately perforated aluminum shade, enameled in a soft crème beige. The slender stems radiate from a circular marble base, creating a sense of lightness despite its solid materials. Each shade can be independently positioned, allowing the light to be directed as desired.

Giuseppe Ostuni (1907-1994) can be considered one of the most influential designers in modern lighting design. Born in Trieste, Italy in 1907, Giuseppe and his older brother Angelo Ostuni (1904-1981) grew up in turbulent times; in 1915 Italy declared war on the Habsburg Empire during the First World War. Only a few years later in 1922, Benito Mussolini became head of the Italian government and began to establish his fascist regime that would last till 1943. During the last year of the Second World War, Giuseppe Ostuni and his family lived with his brother Angelo in Milan. There, Giuseppe started to repair lampshades that had been damaged during the war. New lampshades were made with limited resources, all by hand, due to the lack of available materials. As an autodidact, he designed modern and convenient lighting through intense study and ‘learning by doing’. Soon after, Giuseppe set up his own workshop in 1947, and in 1948 he officially registered his company ‘O-LUCE’. Together with his brother Angelo, who made a great part of the lighting drawings, he worked on numerous designs and worked together with leading designers as Franco Buzzi, Tito Angoli, Joe Colombo, Marco Zanuso and more.