One of a kind · Authenticated · Delivery Paris · France · Europe
LAPIERRE MARKET
Brands

Brands

Oluce.

Atollo Magistretti, Spider Colombo, Coupé, Sonora — Oluce lighting by major Italian designers, vintage authenticated since 1945.

Selection being curated. Browse our current pieces instead. See available pieces.

Country
Italie
Founded
1945
Key designers
Joe Colombo, Vico Magistretti

Related to this page

Collection

Luminaires

Pieces currently in stock.

View

Collection

Lampes

Pieces currently in stock.

View

Collection

Lampadaires

Pieces currently in stock.

View

Oluce

Oluce is the oldest Italian lighting house still in operation, founded in 1945 in Milan by Giuseppe Ostuni. The house occupies a central position in the history of Italian design: it edited the first pieces by Joe Colombo (Spider, Coupé) and most of Vico Magistretti's lighting catalogue, including the Atollo of 1977 — Compasso d'Oro 1979, and one of the most recognisable lamps of the 20th century. LAPIERRE sources, electrically verifies, and restores vintage Oluce for the Paris and European market.

House history

Giuseppe Ostuni founded Oluce in 1945 in the immediate post-war era. The house aligns with Milan's industrial reconstruction movement and participates in defining modern Italian design. Ostuni recruited from the 1950s leading designers: Tito Agnoli, then Joe Colombo in the 1960s (Spider, Coupé, 281, 282), Vico Magistretti from 1971 (over seventy pieces), and more recently Marco Romanelli. The Compasso d'Oro has been awarded to several Oluce pieces: Colombo's Spider in 1967, Magistretti's Atollo in 1979.

Iconic pieces we source

  • Atollo (1977): table lamp in lacquered aluminium, hemispherical base, cylindrical stem and conical shade in perfectly geometric proportions. Three sizes: 233 (35 cm), 238 (50 cm), 239 (floor lamp 70 cm). Vintage colours: white, matte black, amber, orange.
  • Spider (1965): swivel floor lamp and clip-on lamp signed Joe Colombo. Patented rotating mechanism, orientable shade.
  • Coupé (1967): Joe Colombo floor lamp and table lamp, weighted base, orientable arm, lacquered cylindrical shade.
  • Sonora (1976): Magistretti pendant, white lacquered cylindrical shade, geometric structure.
  • 281 and 282 (1965-1968): Colombo wall and pendant lights, round forms, lacquered finishes.

Recognising the authentic

Vintage Oluce pieces bear the Oluce + Made in Italy marking, embossed or screen-printed depending on era. Original lacquers (1960-80) are thicker than current editions, and certain colours (Magistretti orange, Colombo brown) have been retired from the catalogue. The presence of period Oluce transformers and labels reinforces authenticity. All pieces we offer are electrically verified and brought to European standards (CE, French plug) before delivery.

LAPIERRE process for this brand

Sourcing in Italy (Milan, Brianza, Veneto) from specialised antique dealers and estates, sometimes in France from interior architects who equipped 1970-80 offices or residences. Visual authentication, marking and wiring verification. Limited restoration: cleaning, polishing, electrical refurbishment. Original lacquer preserved except in case of major accident.

Request a search

Our Oluce sourcing is regular. If you're looking for a specific piece (Atollo in a particular colour, Spider in good mechanical condition, Sonora pendant), contact us — we maintain a waiting list and activate our Italian channels when a client specifies their request.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the history of Oluce?
Oluce was founded in 1945 in Milan by Giuseppe Ostuni, an Italian electrical engineer. It is today the oldest Italian lighting house in operation. From the 1950s, Ostuni surrounded himself with major Italian designers — Tito Agnoli, then in the 1960s Joe Colombo (Spider, Coupé, 281, 282), and from 1971 Vico Magistretti, who would sign over seventy pieces including the Atollo lamp (1977), awarded the Compasso d'Oro in 1979.
How do I authenticate a vintage Oluce lamp?
An authentic Oluce bears the Oluce + Made in Italy marking, embossed or screen-printed depending on the era, on the base, diffuser, or reflector. Vintage pieces from the 1960s-80s feature thick oven-baked lacquer in original colour palette (off-white, matte black, amber, Magistretti orange, Colombo brown) and period textile wiring. Current reissues use more modern wiring and slightly thinner lacquer. The presence of original transformers and Oluce adhesive labels with model number reinforces authentication.
Which Oluce pieces do you source?
Our sourcing favours signature pieces: Atollo Magistretti (1977, table lamp white, black, or amber lacquered aluminium), Spider Colombo (1965, swivel floor lamp Compasso d'Oro 1967), Coupé Colombo (1967), 281 and 282 Colombo, Sonora Magistretti (1976, pendant), Pascal Magistretti, Atollo floor lamp (large variant). Original colours (white, black, Magistretti orange, brown) are most sought-after.
Vintage Atollo vs current reissue — what's the difference?
Magistretti's Atollo has been edited continuously by Oluce since 1977. Differences between an Atollo from the 1980s and a current Atollo are: lacquer (original RALs were deeper, some rare vintage colours have been retired), integrated transformer (current versions often integrate an LED dimmer), and aluminium patina. A vintage Atollo from the first decade of production is more sought-after than recent editions. Three sizes exist: 233 (35 cm), 238 (50 cm), 239 (70 cm — floor lamp version).
How is an Oluce lamp delivered?
Vintage Oluce lamps are fragile, particularly Atollo lamps in lacquered aluminium (impacts visibly mark the surface) and Spider lamps with swivel mechanism. Wooden crate or triple cardboard packaging with precision foam protection for the diffuser. For Paris and Île-de-France, delivery in our internal van. For France, Cocolis with reinforced packaging. All pieces are electrically verified and brought to European standards (CE, French plug) before delivery. Typical delays: 5 to 10 days.

Designers edited by this brand