Guzzini Style Globe Table Lamp

Materials: Round chromed massive metal (iron) base and ornamental nut. Curved chrome slat and ring. Chrome ring on top. 2 orange acrylic shells globe lampshade. Some metal and plastic parts. White painted Bakelite E27 socket.

Height: 40 cm / 15.74”

Globe: ∅ 28 cm / 11.02”

Base: ∅ 15 cm / 5.90”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.

Period: 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Massive, Mortsel, Kontich and Wommelgem, Belgium.

Other versions: This Guzzini style globe table lamp exists also in white and was made with a different base, as you can see below. These globe lamps are often sold as lamps made by Harvey Guzzini, but they are not, of course.

Label on the lamp socket: Mass. Max. 60W. (Massimo Maximum 60 Watt). Massimo is the Italian word for maximum. Max. is used for every other language in Europe were Massive sold lights at that time. At Massive they were economical with labels. They started using labels when the government had compelled them to do so. The first labels that became mandatory in Europe (EEC) were stickers that stated the maximum power of the light bulbs to be used. Later on Massive used the same round labels with the same font that says: Mass. Max. 60W., Made In Belgium and also a label exists with Massive Mass. Max. 60W. As you can see below.

Massive 

Massive  was in origin a bronze foundry and they produced mainly candlesticks, crucifixes and chandeliers in Wilrijk near Antwerp, Belgium. The company was founded in 1926 by Pieter-Jozef De Jaeck. His son Eddy De Jaeck was responsible for the huge expansion of the company in the 1970s. But it were his sons, Piet and Jan De Jaeck who made Massive a true multinational. Thus, they moved production to Eastern Europe and China.

In the 1980s Massive became the leading brand in Europe. In 2002, the brothers left the company to the investment fund CVC Capital Partners, for allegedly more than 250 million euros. 
Since 2008 the company is owned by Philips and the name of the shops is changed into Light Gallery.

When the takeover by Philips was announced in November 2006 Massive commercialised more than 10.000 lighting products under brand names such as Massive, TRIO and Lirio. The group had about 5.000 employees worldwide and was active in 70 countries.

VLM Components

The wiring, plug, switch and socket are Italian and they are made by VLM Components from Buccinasco near Milan in the sixties and seventies. The company became famous for the switches they produce since 1968, designed by Achille Castiglioni. You can find them over here.

VLM is part of the Relco Group, founded in 1967. Today they are the owners of the brands Relco, Leuci, Relco Lighting, VLM and Segno.

Acrylic: often named by its commercial name: Perspex, Plexiglas, Crylux, Acrylite, Lucite, is a thermoplastic.