Ostuni & Forti Mod. 399 floor lamp for O-Luce, 1958

Mod. 399 floor lamp by Ostuni & Forti for Oluce (Italy, 1958). Adjustable Cornalux reading lamp in nickel-plated brass. Original, very good condition. Designed in 1958 by the Milanese duo Angelo Ostuni and Renato Forti for O-Luce (today Oluce), the Mod. 399 belongs to the celebrated Cornalux series. It distills the pair’s research on the reading lamp into a precise, highly functional object: a slender modernist staff with a mobile, directional light source. The structure is in nickel-plated brass—an elegant circular base and a thin upright supporting a cylindrical lamp-holder that slides freely along the stem. The head, also in nickel-plated brass, is gripped by a black Perspex clamp that, when pressed, unlocks the movement for effortless height adjustment. Rotation at the rear allows aiming, while the Cornalux bulb—half-silvered to shield glare—acts as both source and reflector for crisp, comfortable illumination. A discreet black-painted metal guide hooks to the cable, keeping the wire close to the stem and preserving the lamp’s rigorous vertical line. Condition is very good with light, even patina and minor wear consistent with age; fully original. Cornalux bulb not included; available on request at cost price. Oluce, founded in Milan by Giuseppe Ostuni in 1945, is among Italy’s longest-standing lighting houses, known for technically refined, minimal designs and collaborations with leading designers. Within this context, Mod. 399 exemplifies the brand’s union of engineering clarity and visual restraint, and remains a highly collectible reading lamp from the Italian post-war period.