Harvey Guzzini Rise & Fall Pendant Lamp
The same chrome lid on top was used for several other lamps.
Links (external links open in a new window)
Harvey (1950) – the movie – Wikipedia
Vintageinfo
Harvey Guzzini Rise & Fall Pendant Lamp
Materials: Round pearl white acrylic lampshade. Chromed metal (iron) lid on top. Brass rod. Some plastic and metal parts. Rolly rise & fall mechanism. Bakelite E27 socket.
Cord: This one has an adjustable rise & fall mechanism (40 – 140 cm / 15.74 – 55.11”). It can be easily adjusted in height by grabbing the lamp with both hands, and pulling it gently.
Height: 33 cm / 12.99”
Width: ∅ 39 cm / 15.35”
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: 1960s, 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: Luigi Massoni (1930 – 2013).
Manufacturer: Harvey Guzzini, Recanati, Italy, today named iGuzzini.
Other versions: This Harvey Guzzini rise & fall pendant lamp exists in several versions, all with the same chrome lid on top. Some examples shown below. This lamp is produced in 1975. It is dated on the Rolly pull down mechanism.
Project Year: 1964. Produced from 1964 until 1976.
Luigi Massoni
Luigi Massoni was born in Milan, Italy on January 22nd 1930 and was a architect and designer. For some thirty years, he has also worked as a freelance journalist and editor. He lived in Recanati, near Milan where he died in 2013.
After years of education at the “Collettivo di Architettura” of Milan and his first professional experiences between 1953 and 1955, he began working for Alessi and created his famous Bar set. First in 1957 together with Carlo Mazzeri the cocktail shaker and a bit later the Serie 5 containers.
Together with architect Carlo De Carli, he founded “Il Mobile Italiano”. In 1959, associating a group of furniture industrialists, he founded “Mobilia”, one of the first centers for the promotion of Italian design.
Also in 1959, he began working for Boffi Cucine, realizing some of the first modular systems for the home and kitchen. For Boffi he created: the Dogu kitchen and bathroom, the Xila kitchen and bathroom, the Punto bathroom, the E15 kitchen, the AL15 kitchen and the A1 cupboard.
He was editor and director of “Marmo Tecnica Architettura” from 1956 until 1963. Thanks to his publications, he plays a key role in the development of industrial and craft-based businesses. His works are published in the most important Italian and foreign magazines and have been awarded numerous prizes and acknowledgements.
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.
MEBLO
Harvey Guzzini lamps were also 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.
Acrylic: often named by its commercial name: Perspex, Plexiglas, Crylux, Acrylite, Lucite, is a thermoplastic.
Many thanks to Dragoslav of Design70Shop for the all the help. You can find his shop on Etsy over here.
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.