Design House Disco pendant lamp, table lamp and floor lamp. Together with the Toledo table lamp (Luigi Massoni), the Alvise pendant, table and floor lamp (Luigi Massoni) and the Polsino table and floor lamp (Gio Ponti).
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Vintageinfo
Lamps designed by Studio D.A.
Design House, Harvey Guzzini, iGuzzini lamps
Design House Disco Pendant Lamp
Materials: Whirligig, whirl-about spinner toy style round lampshade made of two acrylic shells in orange and white. Metal rod. Chrome handle. Chrome canopy. Some metal parts. 3 Bakelite E14 sockets.
Cord: This one has an adjustable rise & fall mechanism (55-120 cm / 21.65-47.24″). It can be easily adjusted in height by pulling the chrome handle underneath.
Height: 50 cm / 19.68”
Width: ∅ 55 cm / 21.65”
Electricity: 3 bulbs E14, 3 x 40 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.
Period: 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: Studio D.A.: Cesare Maria Casati and Carlo Emanuele Ponzio in 1966.
Manufacturer: Harvey Guzzini DH (Design House), via Mariano Guzzini, 37. 62019, Recanati, Italy. Today named iGuzzini.
Other versions: The Design House Disco pendant lamp also exists in black & white. Probably also made in a few other colours. A table lamp and floor lamp with a round white ABS plastic base also exists, as you can see.
Designed in 1966, in production until +- 1972.
These lamps were released under the Design House label. It was used for a short time by Harvey Guzzini in the late 1960s, early 1970s. Also a store was opened in 1969 in the center of Milan under the name Harvey Guzzini-DH.
Studio D.A.
Studio D.A. was founded by Cesare Maria Casati, born in 1936, and Carlo Emanuele Ponzio (1923 – 2015) in Milan, Italy. More information can be found over here, on Vintageinfo.
Studio D.A. designed many beautiful lamps such as the Pillola (pill) table lamp for Ponteur in 1968. Many important design companies have collaborated with Studio D.A.. Including Venini, Martinelli Luce, Raak, Harvey Guzzini, Candle (FontanaArte), Comfort, Abet Print and Arflex.
iGuzzini
iGuzzini illuminazione was established in June 1958 by Raimondo Guzzini (born 1928) under the name Harvey.
Harvey is derived from the famous movie ‘Harvey’ with James Stuart and the invisible rabbit Harvey from 1950.
The initial production of enamelled copper objects was supplemented by decorative luminaires. In the early sixties it became a family business when his 5 brothers joined the company.
In 1962 Luigi Massoni was attracted to lead the design team. He worked for Fratelli Guzzini and Harvey Guzzini until 1976. Luigi Massoni designed many iconic lamps in that period.
The company still exists and changed the name in 1974 into iGuzzini and in 1981 to iGuzzini illuminazione.
Designers
Harvey Guzzini – iGuzzini – Design House designers are, among others: Giò Ponti, Luigi Massoni, Rodolfo Bonetto, Bruno Gecchelin, Renzo Piano, Norman Foster, Gae Aulenti, Piero Castiglioni, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Mario Cucinella, Dean Skira, Renzo Piano, Massimo Iosa Ghini, Enzo Eusebi, Massimiliano e Doriana Fuksas, Jean-Marie Duthilleul, Maurici Ginès, Maurici Ginès, Roberto Pamio, Paul Andreau, Felice Ragazzo, Giuseppe De Goetzen, Franco Bresciani, Carlo Urbinati, Giuseppe Cormio, Ermanno Lampa, Sergio Brazzoli and of course Studio D.A.
MEBLO
In some countries the Disco series were sold under the brand name MEBLO. MEBLO is a Slovenian (Yugoslavia) company.
The MEBLO factory was founded in 1948 when Gorizia craftsmen joined forces and founded the Furniture Factory, later named Edvard Kardelj (communist leader and national hero of World War II). In 1950 the name changed in MEBLO.
At first, they made exclusive furniture, which was later supplemented with upholstered furniture, lighting, plastic and mattresses.
MEBLO also produced plastic chairs and tables, plasticised metal garden tables and chairs, plastic chairs for sports halls, plastic flower beds, mirrors and plastic bathroom equipment (design by Luigi Massoni), wooden set of club tables, shelves, buffet carts and mirrors (design by Gianfranco Frattini).
The last lamps were produced around 1990, 1991 until the break-up of Yugoslavia.
Today the company is named MebloJOGI. It only produces mattresses for beds.
Sijaj Hrastnik
Before Meblo started to produce Harvey Guzzini lamps, Sijaj Hrastnik, another Slovenian company sold them in Yugoslavia.
Rolly
The rise & fall mechanism of this Disco pendant lamp was produced in Italy by Rolly. Rolly was one of the biggest producers in Europe of this type of rise & fall mechanisms. Some mechanisms have a date pressed in it. Dates on Rolly mechanisms appear until the mid 70’s. Later in time no date was pressed in the plastic anymore. The Rolly company no longer exists. Other pendant lamps with a Rolly rise & fall mechanism can be found here.
Acrylic
Often named by its commercial name: Perspex, Plexiglas, Crylux, Acrylite, Lucite, is a thermoplastic.
Disco pendant and table lamp – Design House catalogue pictures
Logo used between 1959 and 1964. Inspired by the 1950 film “Harvey“, starring James Stewart.
Logo used between 1965 and 1977. This logo was designed by Luigi Massoni.
The architect Massoni was invited to work with Harvey as the company’s art director, a move that gave further impetus to the idea of collaborating with designers.
Between 1967 and 1971, Ennio Lucini designed the catalogue for the DH (Design House) brand, under which lamps for home lighting were marketed.
Logo used from 1974 until today, designed by Advema G&R Associati. This logo embodied the company’s entire output, which was marketed under other brands such as DH, Doma and Atelier.
It was during this period that the company began making technical products. Spot and flood lights in particular.