Giò Ponti Stars

After 1958 and the approval of the Merlin law, the municipal administration of Milan decided to start a reclamation of the area of Via Rovello, between the Castello Sforzesco and the Duomo, where prostitution and the housing dedicated were concentrated. In particular, cars of Italian Police were positioned permanently and the building at number 3C of Via Rovello was transformed, converting the lodgings of the "young ladies" into modern and design hotel rooms, the LONDON.

ARREDOLUCE MONZA was asked by the owners and investors to take care of lighting. In fact, Angelo Lelii was commissioned a large metal chandelier for the entrance hall of the London Hotel, and brass reading spot lights near each bedside tables (still there today).

But for the ceilings of each of the 29 bedrooms, were commissioned to Giò Ponti some elegant ceiling lights in brass and opal glass. The architect Ponti specially designed ONLY for London Hotel four lamps: 2 in the shape of a STAR and 2 in the shape of a SUN, designed in different sizes depending on the size of each hotel room. In particular, collaborating with Arredoluce Monza, Giò Ponti asked 29 polished brass rounds with diameter of 22 cm and 30 cm and related opaline different shape glasses, and then some rods in the shape of rays with an angle of 90 degrees, always in brass, of variable length from a minimum of 30 cm, up to a maximum of 65 cm.

In this way was born the STELLA,

the STELLA 8 PUNTE,

the SOLE GRANDE,

and the SOLE PICCOLO.

The Arredoluce Monza Archives have no trace of this order nor photographs of these works carried out. But the STELLA CINQUE PUNTE lamp clearly appears in a picture of their Showroom from early 60's exactly in the center among many lamps designed instead by A. Lelii.

Even in the "Catalogo Ragionato 1943-1957" published by Silvana Editore and printed in 2018, a few months after the discovery of the London Hotel, the ARREDOLUCE MONZA ARCHIVES had to publish only a black and white photo having never before the World Market offered any specimen of these lamps.

The reason for so few informations about these lamps, or better these art works, lies precisely in the fact that they were made exclusively in 29 specimens for the London Hotel in Milan in 1959

After this single order to Giò Ponti, based on the objects found in modern era, it would seem that Angelo Lelii used some of the beam-shaped sticks with a 90-degree angle (probably remained in factory..) to make ceiling lights and chandeliers that had a brass cylinder in the center and at the end of the rays, applyed opal glass spheres or tambourines with opal glass always 22 cm in diameter.

This first production probably from the early 60s, however, was soon revised, replacing the expensive ray rods with a 90-degree angle, with more simple straight rods then widely used on various models of Arredoluce Monza chandeliers / ceiling lamps designed by Angelo Lelii.

Giò Ponti, often incorporated ninety-degree angles in all his projects, from any furniture or items, to urban buildings. This characteristic imparts a sense of geometric precision and order to his works, creating elegant and functional spaces. The use of right angles contributes to visual clarity and space definition, reflecting his attention to detail and pursuit of harmonious proportion in design. Like a distinctive sign wich showes his hided signature on his works.

It remains the incredible and short appearance of the Suns and the Stars in 1959, result from the genious of the architect Giò Ponti, who made the 90-degree angle his brand, his distinctive sign for any of his creations, starting from chairs, tables and all kind of furniture, to majolica, wallpaper, but also for taps and cutlery to finish with beautiful and unique stars

In the London Hotel, at the time of the discovery in 2018, in two of the 29 bedrooms the ceiling lights of Arredoluce Monza had already been replaced, probably due to the breaking of the glass.

In the remaining 27 rooms were found:

3 SOLE GRANDE PIATTO
3 SOLE GRANDE GLOBO
5 SOLE PICCOLO
7 STELLA 8 PUNTE
7 STELLA 5 PUNTE
Plus 2 changed
Plus 2 to be attribuited

ORIGINALLY TOTAL LAMPS PRODUCED FOR LONDON HOTEL:
6 SOLE GRANDE
6 SOLE PICCOLO
8 STELLA 8 PUNTE
8 STELLA 5 PUNTE

The Stars and Suns were filmed in high definition on the day of the discovery, inside each room of the London Hotel, before disassemble. For each lamp was taken a photo of it with the door open and its room number, a photo during disassemble and even a photo of it's mark left on the ceiling after more than 60 years!