"Pillola" lamp by Cesare Casati and Emanuele Ponzio, Italy, 1968

Italian work, 1968. H 55 X D 13 cm. Moulded ABS, opal diffuser. Very good condition. A cylinder with a rounded cap, placed in a circular base where it tilts freely: the lamp stands up, lies down, and changes its lighting depending on the angle given to it. The body is pierced with a column of small holes that allow light to pass through in spots, while the upper part diffuses it widely. Designed in 1968 by Cesare Casati and Emanuele Ponzio under the name Studio D.A., the Pillola is one of the objects that introduced moulded plastic into Italian furniture: pill shape, mass production, and the choice to be viewed in groups rather than individually. It is included in public collections, including that of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. The piece bears the embossed mark "collezione noi — design studio D.A." under its base. It is presented alone; the Pillola is often encountered in series of several pieces.