Atelier Artiforte was founded in August 1930 at Insulindestraat 218b in Rotterdam, producing hand-assembled electric lighting, initially standard lamps with fabric shades. On 1 January 1946, Hendrik (Henk) Fillekes (Rotterdam, 1918–1983) took over the atelier together with partner Johan van Wierst. Under Fillekes, the company underwent a fundamental transformation: fabric shades gave way to metal and plexiglass constructions, and the cocoon technique of spraying synthetic fibres onto a framework was introduced, particularly for pendant lamps. Fillekes was the creative force behind this modernisation. Through the 1950s and into the 1960s, he expanded the collection both through his own designs and by inviting key figures from the Dutch design world to collaborate, among them Bauhaus architect Johan Niegeman and his student Kho Liang Ie. 

In 1962 the atelier relocated to Kortebrantstraat 16 in Rotterdam, and in 1966 opened a dedicated exhibition space of 90m² across the street. The designs from this period are defined by structural ingenuity and a reduction of form closely aligned with the architectural sensibility of Dutch post-war modernism. Fillekes worked primarily in nickel-plated and lacquered steel, developing lighting solutions that balanced mechanical precision with visual restraint. The Magneto floor lamp of 1954, the K-46 and other designs from this decade remain among the most sought-after examples of European collectible lighting. Each was hand assembled in small numbers. After the death of Fillekes in 1983, the atelier slowly faded from production. In 2021, the rights to the collection were acquired by RSGA Design, which brought several designs back into production under the Atelier Artiforte name.