LEAD SWITCH

LEAD SWITCH

1968 Design: Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

1968 Production: VLM

This is a switch that can be applied to the electric lead for any type of lighting situation lacking a switch.

The body is composed of two die cast, curvilinear shells of white or black urea resin. The top shell is convex with a circular hollow in the middle where the switch is housed, while the edges of the bottom shell are rounded to facilitate moving it across a table top or other surfaces.

Its particular shape renders it recognizable even in the dark: running the lead through one’s fingers, the thumb encounters the rounded surface of the switch and is led right to the push button.

It was mass produced and bought for its qualities; no one in the shops selling electrical equipment knew who had designed it.