1953 Table Lamp by Oluce

1953 is a cylindrical table lamp in matt black and satin gold, drawn by Ostuni & Forti in the 1950s and reissued by Oluce in 2019.

It comes in one finish: matt black shade, base and stem grip with satin gold stem and shade interior.

The Design Story

Oluce, founded in Milan in 1945, reissued 1953 as a tribute to the designers who shaped its history. The idea is simple and unusual: the round shade is moved off the center and sits to one side of the stem, so the lamp looks balanced and slightly daring at once. Matt black on the outside and a warm satin gold inside the shade give it the contrast of a 1950s Italian interior without feeling dated.

The Story

1953 was designed by Angelo Ostuni and Renato Forti, the pair behind some of the best-known Oluce lamps of the 1950s. Oluce brought it back in 2019 as a table and a floor model that share the same design and differ in proportion and size. The page describes it as decorative but clean and linear, the kind of object that stays modern across fashions and eras.

The Designers

Renato Forti (born 1923) was an Italian designer active from the 1950s to the 1970s, known for furniture made with leading Italian companies and for careful attention to materials, detail and ergonomics. Angelo Ostuni worked in interior design and lighting through Italian modernism, using brass, glass and wood. Together they made minimalist lights for Oluce that are now seen as symbols of 1950s Italian design and are prized by collectors.

“Decorative but with a clean, linear design”

Oluce, on 1953

How It Was Made

Oluce makes 1953 in Italy in metal. The shade exterior, base and stem grip are finished in matt black, while the stem and the inside of the shade are satin gold, which lets the light glow warm against the dark metal.

Downloads

• Technical sheet (PDF, UL version)
• Assembly instructions (PDF, UL version)
• Technical sheet (PDF, international version)

Why You’ll Love It

The off-center shade is what makes 1953 memorable, and it still looks fresh on a modern desk or bedside table. Satin gold on the inside throws a soft warm glow, and the matt black exterior keeps the lamp quiet in the day. A universal dimmer is included, so you can set the mood from reading light to low evening glow.

Made for Real Life

The lamp takes one E26 bulb up to 75W. The bulb is not included, so choose the one that suits your room. A universal dimmer comes with the lamp and the lamp is UL rated for use in the US. Wipe the metal with a soft dry or slightly damp cloth and skip abrasive or solvent cleaners.

Product Details

Where It Shines

Place it on a desk, a bedside table, a console or a sideboard. It suits mid-century, modern and Italian-design rooms, hotels and studios, and pairs well with wood, brass and neutral textiles.

Questions We Hear Most

How big is the 1953 table lamp?

The lamp is 18.9 in (48 cm) tall with a base about 7.9 in (20 cm) wide, which suits a desk, a nightstand or a console.

What bulb does the 1953 table lamp use?

It takes one E26 bulb up to 75W. The bulb is not included, so you can pick the brightness and warmth you prefer.

Can I dim the 1953 table lamp?

Yes. Oluce lists the lamp as dimmable and a universal dimmer is included with it.

Is the 1953 table lamp UL listed?

Yes. The US version is UL rated, and the UL technical sheet and assembly instructions are linked in the Downloads section.

Is there a matching floor lamp?

Yes. 1953 also comes as a floor lamp with the same off-center shade design at a larger size.

Who designed the 1953 table lamp?

Angelo Ostuni and Renato Forti designed it in the 1950s, and Oluce reissued it in 2019.

Why We Love It

1953 is a piece of Oluce history that fits a modern room. The shade sits off the center of the stem, the gold glows inside the black, and the lamp dims to suit any hour. It makes a confident, quiet statement.

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