Snoopy Table Lamp

Overview

Snoopy by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1967) is a table lamp of direct light and an enduring legend of lighting design. Its silhouette recalls the comic-strip dog it is named after, and it embodies the Castiglionis' habit of infusing functional design with humour. Snoopy is in the permanent collection of MoMA and other leading design museums.

Construction

• Reflector: tilted enamelled aluminium shade with three cooling holes that resemble the grip of a bowling ball
• Base: asymmetric solid white Carrara marble, housing the light source and giving stability
• Diffuser: glass disc under the shade
• Control: integrated touch-sensitive dimmer on the base for on/off and progressive adjustment
• Light source: E26 lamp holder (US version), bulb not included — Flos recommends a 9 W E26 A19 LED

Specifications

• L 39.4 × H 36.9 cm (15.51" × 14.53")
• Weight 7.8 kg (17.2 lb)
• Colours: black, orange, green, navy blue

Function with a sense of humour

Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni conceived Snoopy in 1967. Its tilted, glossy shade and narrow face give it the profile of the cartoon beagle that inspired the name, yet every feature has a job: the slanted marble block holds the shade in perfect equilibrium and aims the light onto the table, and the three cooling holes on top — like the grip of a bowling ball — let the heat out.

A museum piece for everyday use

The lamp became one of the brothers' most loved designs and is now held by MoMA in New York and by other design museums. Flos still makes it with a solid Carrara marble base and an enamelled reflector, now with a touch dimmer built into the base.