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 were 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.
Harvey Guzzini
In 1962, Luigi Massoni meets the brothers Raimondo, Giovanni and Giuseppe Guzzini in Milan: it is the beginning of a fruitful collaboration. He worked for Fratelli Guzzini and Harvey Guzzini, what later changed in iGuzzini, until 1976. Not only he was the art director but the coordinator of communication and advertising campaign, bringing, as pointed out by Adolfo Guzzini “a purification of the form” and “rationality as a new social status “. He also designed the logo of Harvey Guzzini as you can see below.
Luigi Massoni designed some of the most beautiful lamps for Harvey Guzzini, such as the Brumbry, the Alvise, the Moana, the Toledo and this lamp, the Medusa, and many others.
From this experience he improved the image of many Italian and worldwide industries operating in many sectors: Furnishings; Plastics; Glass; Ceramics; Metals; Precious metals; Leather; Giftware; Household articles and so on. To name a few companies: Cedit (ceramics), Gabbianelli (ceramics), Venini (glass), Nazareno Gabrielli (bags), Poltrona Frau (leather seats), Gallotti & Radice (Adam glass table)…
Harvey Guzzini Medusa table lamp, 1st edition – catalogue picture
The same base was used for the second edition of the Toledo table lamp.
Luigi Massoni
Project Year: 1965
Harvey Guzzini/iGuzzini Medusa table lamp
Commercial code:
DS.3 – 1965 – 1968
2177 – (1968 – 1972).
Period: 1973 – 1978
4010 – Lamp with a white acrylic diffuser below.
4011 – Lamp without the diffuser
Medusa pendant lamp
The pendant lamp was made in 2 sizes.
Commercial code:
Pendant lamps without diffuser:
3014: 35 x 23 cm / 13.77 x 9.05”
3015: 45 x 27 cm / 17.71 x 10.62”
Pendant lamps with diffuser:
3016: 35 x 27 cm / 13.77 x 10.62”
3017: 45 x 31 cm / 17.71 x 12.20”
iGuzzini Medusa Table Lamp
Materials: Conical chromed metal (iron) base in two parts. Brown degrading acrylic mushroom lampshade, white on the inside. Chrome ornamental screw on top. Some metal parts. 3 Bakelite E14 sockets.
Height: 40 cm / 15.74”
Width: ∅ 35 cm / 13.77”
Base: ∅ 24 cm / 9.44”
Electricity: 3 bulbs E14, 3 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred. But white or frosted bulbs gives the most beautiful result.
Period: 1960s, 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: Luigi Massoni & L. Buttura.
Manufacturer: iGuzzini, Recanati, Italy.
Other versions: This iGuzzini Medusa table lamp exists in several varieties. Not only a first and a second edition exists of this table lamp, but it was sold with or without a white diffuser below. Also pendant lamps and floor lamps were made. Some models with the same chrome handle on top as the Lucerna.
The first editions have a slightly different, thinner base in aluminium and some versions have another ornamental screw on top with a handle. The second edition was made “tighter”, in chrome and more “modern”.
Almost the same thing happened with the Toledo table lamp, a very similar lamp with the same base but with a different lampshade. You can find this lamp over here on Vintageinfo.
Prototypes were made from 1965 until 1973.
This iGuzzini Medusa table lamp was also sold by MEBLO. They named it Meduza.
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.
Lamps in the movies
A rare seen metallic green iGuzzini Medusa table lamp was used as a prop in the 1968 film Diabolik or Danger: Diabolik. An action film produced by Dino De Laurentiis based on the Italian comic series Diabolik by Angela and Luciana Giussani. Starring John Phillip Law, Marisa Mell, Michel Piccoli, Adolfo Celi and Terry-Thomas.
An orange iGuzzini Medusa table lamp was used as a prop in the 1993 action comedy film Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow. starring: George Gaynes, Michael Winslow and David Graf.
Links (external links open in a new window)
The Fratelli Guzzini website about Luigi Massoni
Luigi Massoni on the Alessi website
Luigi Massoni on the Boffi website
Danger: Diabolik (1968) film – Wikipedia
Danger: Diabolik (1968) film – IMDb
Police Academy 7 (1994) film – Wikipedia
Police Academy 7 (1994) film – IMDb
Vintageinfo
Medusa table lamp – First edition
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 tor the DH 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.