The Bilia, Gio Ponti’s most famous lamp, is now cordless

FontanaArte has unveiled the Bilia Mini Portable, a rechargeable version of the iconic lamp first designed by Gio Ponti in 1932 for the company he founded that very year with Luigi Fontana. The Bilia is instantly recognizable for its simple geometry composed of a glass sphere balanced atop a conical metal base. The new portable edition maintains those distinctive proportions while adding modern convenience through rechargeable battery technology and USB-C charging.  

When Ponti first designed Bilia, he sketched plans for a smaller version with a palette of "spray colors." FontanaArte has now realized that vision, offering the Mini Portable in six finishes: Brass, Brushed Copper, Brushed Nickel, Glossy Nickel Black, White, and Matt Black.  

The cordless design makes the lamp suitable for spaces where wired lighting isn't practical, from dining tables and outdoor terraces to office desks and bedside tables. Technical specifications include a three-level dimmer, 260 lumens of light output, and 1.8W power consumption. The light is warm and natural-looking thanks to the 2700K color temperature and a color rendering index above 90.