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LAPIERRE MARKET

Gae Aulenti (1927-2012)

Gae Aulenti remains one of the Italian architects and designers whose writing structured post-war Italian design. An architect before being a designer, she signed at Fontana Arte, Martinelli Luce, Artemide, Knoll, Kartell, and Poltronova a dense and recognisable corpus, marked by a dimensional rigour inherited from her architectural practice. The LAPIERRE selection gathers authenticated vintage Aulenti pieces, primarily lighting and tables, with systematic mention of editor and production decade.

Biographical landmarks

Born in 1927 in Palazzolo dello Stella in Friuli, Gae Aulenti trained at the faculty of architecture in Milan, graduating in 1953. She was one of the only women in her cohort. She immediately joined the editorial board of Casabella under Ernesto Nathan Rogers, where she developed her critical thought alongside Vittorio Gregotti, Aldo Rossi, and Carlo Aymonino. This architectural-press period, little known to the public, durably marked her relationship to the project: for Aulenti, furniture is always a question of space and proportion.

She opened her studio in Milan in the 1960s and developed simultaneously an architect's practice (museums, scenographies, retail) and a designer's practice (furniture, lighting, mirrors). Her first recognised piece, the Sgarsul stool edited by Poltronova in 1962, was followed in 1965 by the Pipistrello lamp for Martinelli Luce, which became one of the most reproduced Italian lamps of the 20th century. From 1979 onward she took the artistic direction of Fontana Arte, a position she held until 1996, which explains the density of her catalogue at this editor.

In architecture, her best-known project remains the transformation of the Gare d'Orsay into the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, delivered in 1986, which redefined the language of heritage conversion. She also signed the interior of the Palazzo Grassi in Venice (Pinault Foundation), the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, several interventions at the Centre Pompidou, and the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2000 Hanover. This architectural practice parallel to her design work is documented in the Aulenti archives, accessible via the Fondazione Gae Aulenti in Milan.

Gae Aulenti died in 2012 in Milan. A retrospective was devoted to her at the Triennale di Milano in 2012-2013.

Signature pieces we source

Pipistrello (1965, Martinelli Luce). Table lamp with chromed telescopic stem and opal white methacrylate diffuser in asymmetric petals. Adjustable in height between 66 cm and 86 cm. Still produced by Martinelli, but vintage 1965-1980 pieces retain a distinct quotation. Table and floor versions available.

Tavolo con ruote (1980, Fontana Arte). Coffee table in 15 mm tempered glass on four industrial rubber-and-steel wheels. An apparently simple piece that rests on the conceptual diversion of industrial workshop wheels. Available in several sizes; 1980s-1990s pieces carry the Fontana Arte stamp under the top.

Patroclo (1975, Artemide). Table lamp with moulded blown-glass diffuser, internal metal structure. A rare sculptural piece, in limited production. High quotation in original form.

Aprilina (1964, Poltronova). Low armchair with tubular structure and removable cushions. A collector piece, rare on the market. Documented in period Poltronova catalogues.

Sgarsul (1962, Poltronova). Rocking stool-armchair with wood structure and rattan seat. Aulenti's first recognised piece. Limited production; original examples are scarce.

Jumbo (1965, Knoll). Round or rectangular dining table in solid marble. Sculpted central pedestal. Stable quotation on the Italian and international vintage market.

Tour (1993, FontanaArte). Coffee table with tempered-glass top on three wheels, a conceptual evolution of the Tavolo con ruote. Later piece but a clear Aulenti signature.

Mezzochimera (1969, Artemide). Floor lamp with opal methacrylate diffuser and aluminium structure. A rare piece in limited production, sought by Italian collectors.

Authentic vs reissue vs homage

The Aulenti market separates three levels. The original piece, produced between the 1960s and 1990s by Fontana Arte, Martinelli Luce, Artemide, Knoll, Kartell, Poltronova, or Zanotta, identifiable by editor label, engraved stamp, or period metal plate. Highest quotation. The recent reissue, in particular the Pipistrello still produced by Martinelli with finish evolutions, marked by a recent stamp. Intermediate quotation. The unauthorised copy or homage, which circulates online without signature and often shows a lower-grade methacrylate or approximate wheels on the Tavolo con ruote. LAPIERRE never lists copies; every piece is documented with its editor and production decade.

LAPIERRE process for Gae Aulenti pieces

Three stages structure expertise. Verification of the editor label or stamp (Fontana Arte, Martinelli, Artemide, Knoll, Poltronova). Physical inspection of material (methacrylate, tempered glass, blown glass) to confirm original quality. Detailed photographic documentation of markings, patina, and any restorations. Cross-referencing with reference scholarship (Fontana Arte catalogues raisonnés, Martinelli Luce archives, Triennale Design Museum) before listing.

Request a Gae Aulenti piece

For a specific search (Pipistrello in a rare colour edition, XL Tavolo con ruote, pair of Patroclo Artemide), write to us. LAPIERRE activates its network of partner Italian and French galleries specialised in 20th-century design, on a four-to-twelve-week horizon depending on the rarity of the target piece.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do you authenticate a Pipistrello Martinelli Luce lamp?
An authentic Pipistrello Martinelli carries a label or editor stamp on the chromed telescopic stem. The opal white methacrylate diffuser shows a characteristic asymmetric petal cut that forms the bat-wing silhouette (hence Pipistrello). The chromed aluminium telescopic stem adjusts in height between 66 cm and 86 cm. 1965-1975 pieces have a glued paper label, those from the 1990s onward an engraved metal plate. LAPIERRE systematically cross-references label, telescopic mechanism, and diffuser quality. The Pipistrello is still produced by Martinelli, but vintage 1965-1980 pieces retain a distinct quotation.
What is the difference between a vintage Tavolo con ruote and a Fontana Arte reissue?
The Tavolo con ruote (1980), a tempered-glass coffee table on four industrial wheels, was edited by Fontana Arte. 1980s-1990s pieces carry the Fontana Arte stamp engraved under the top and use 15 mm tempered original glass. More recent reissues are marked differently and sometimes show slightly modified wheels. LAPIERRE always separates the two periods through stamp and glass quality. This apparently simple piece rests on a precise conceptual detail, the diversion of industrial wheels for a living-room table, that defines the Aulenti signature.
Which Aulenti pieces are most sought after?
Several pieces structure Aulenti quotations. The Pipistrello lamp (1965, Martinelli Luce) remains the absolute icon, in original or limited-edition versions. The Tavolo con ruote (1980, Fontana Arte) is the high-end coffee-table segment. The Patroclo table lamp (1975, Artemide), with blown-glass diffuser, is rare in original form. The Aprilina armchair (Poltronova, 1964) and Sgarsul stool (Poltronova, 1962) are collector pieces. The Jumbo dining table (1965, Knoll) and Tour coffee table (1993, FontanaArte) complete the catalogue.
Did Gae Aulenti work as an architect?
Yes, Gae Aulenti was an architect before being a designer. She is one of the few women to emerge in post-war Italian architecture. Her best-known project remains the transformation of the Gare d'Orsay into the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, delivered in 1986, which redefined the language of heritage conversion. She also signed the interior of the Palazzo Grassi in Venice for the Pinault Foundation, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, and several interventions at the Centre Pompidou. This dual architect-designer practice imbues her furniture with a dimensional rigour that durably sets her pieces apart.
Why is the Pipistrello so representative of Aulenti's writing?
The Pipistrello combines in a single piece the three markers of Aulenti's writing. The organic but structured form, here inspired by the bat wing, which avoids both the purely geometric and the purely biomorphic. The chromed aluminium telescopic stem, which brings mid-1960s Italian industrial rigour. The opal methacrylate diffuser, a recent material at the time that signalled technical modernity. This synthesis, documented by specialist authors and at the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, makes the Pipistrello one of the most recognisable and most cited Italian lamps of the 20th century.
Who are the historical editors of Gae Aulenti?
Gae Aulenti edited her pieces primarily at Fontana Arte, of which she was artistic director from 1979 to 1996, which explains the dense catalogue at this editor (Tavolo con ruote, lamps, mirrors). She also worked for Martinelli Luce (Pipistrello), Knoll (Jumbo), Kartell (chairs), Artemide (Patroclo, Mezzochimera), Zanotta (Sanmarco), and Poltronova (Aprilina, Sgarsul). This multi-editor distribution structures the vintage market: depending on the piece sought, the sourcing channel differs.
How does LAPIERRE source Gae Aulenti pieces?
Aulenti sourcing relies primarily on the Italian and French network of specialist 20th-century design galleries. Fontana Arte, Martinelli Luce, and Artemide pieces circulate mainly through Milan, Rome, and the wider Italian network. Vintage Knoll and Kartell pieces are also present on the French market. LAPIERRE works with identified Italian partners and expertises each piece before listing, with systematic mention of editor, decade, and condition documented through detailed photographs.