Casati + Ponzio, Bowler Suspension Lamp, Raak 1972

With this lamp, a bowler hat suspended in mid-air, Cesare Casati and Emanuele Ponzio are clearly making a reference to Belgian surrealist, René Magritte. Designed in 1972 for the well respected Dutch manufacturer Raak, the Bowler lamp is composed entirely out of stainless steel. The interior has a brushed finish to help diffuse the light and the exterior is coated in a very nice matt clay/brown tone. Design partners Casati and Ponzi, who were both architects, worked with many of the most important furniture and lighting manufactures of the time including Venini, Martinelli Luce, Harvey Guzzini, Fontana Arte and Arflex. Casati was also editor in chief of Domus magazine in the 1970s.

Unfortunately, the lamp has suffered a knock on one side which is visible on both the interior and exterior. The original ceiling rose also has some small chips around the fixing holes. The light source is not included as the lamp can be fitted with a number of different bulbs with an E27 end cap.