Prototypes of the Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp
Prototypes of this lamp were made from 1967 until 1974.
Below a Brumbry from around 1980 (special version, not a prototype) with a different shade; one of the examples for combining translucent and white, also used for the Baobab (1978-1992) in black and white.
The Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp in the movies
A white Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp was used as a prop in the British film Made In Dagenham from 2010, a dramatisation of the 1968 strike at the Ford car plant in the city of Dagenham, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination.
This scene is in the headquarters of Ford in Michigan, USA. A little mistake, because the Brumbry went in production in 1969…
A white Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp was used as a prop in the French mini series Paris (2015-2016) in the official residence of the French prime minister.
A white Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp was used as a prop in the 2008 movie L’Instinct de Mort – Public Enemy Number One (Part 2). The story of french gangster Jacques Mesrine: Public Enemy N°1.
A brown Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp was used as a prop in the 1972 French crime movie Un Flic (Dirty Money). Starring Catherine Deneuve and Alain Delon.
Lamps in the movies
A white Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp was used as a prop in the 2004 French crime film 36 Quai des Orfèvres. Starring Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu.
A white Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp was used as a prop in the 2004 French action film Banlieue 13 (District 13). Directed by Luc Besson. Starring David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli.
A white Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp was used as a prop in the 1976 French comedy film Un Éléphant Ça Trompe Énormément (Pardon Mon Affaire). Starring Jean Rochefort, Claude Brasseur and Guy Bedos. Many other lamps appear in this movie.
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Harvey Guzzini Brumbry – switch used in the early years of production.
VLM Components switch
The double single pole foot switch model D-662 from VLM Components is designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1968 and is still in production (2019).
Many thanks to Dragoslav of Design70Shop for the all the help. You can find his shop on Etsy over here.
White Harvey Guzzini Brumbry Table Lamp
Materials: Acrylic white lampshade. Chromed metal (iron) base. Rubber O-ring. White lacquered tube. Cement counterweight. Chromed ornamental screws. Bakelite sockets. Chromed iron ring on top of the lampshade.
Height: 43 cm / 16.92”
Width: ∅ 46 cm / 18.11”
Base: ∅ 13 cm / 5.11”
Electricity: 4 bulbs E14, 4 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb with an E14 socket can be used, preferably a white/opaque or frosted light bulb. Clear bulbs create stripes on the lampshade.
The top dome and main lampshade can be switched on independently for up lighting, down lighting or both at once.
Period: 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: Luigi Massoni (1930 – 2013).
Manufacturer: Harvey Guzzini, Recanati, Italy.
Other versions: This White Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp exists in several colours. White and gradient brown are the two most sold. Also orange/red lamps were made and sometimes you find a green or eggplant coloured one. Other colours exist.
Later editions have a metal base in two pieces as you can see below. You can view a rare edition of the late 1970s on the left of this page.
Harvey Guzzini Brumbry often incorrectly named Brumbury.
Project year: 1969
Year of production starting: 1969
Year of production ending: 1982
Commercial code: 507 – Period: 1969 – 1972
Commercial code: 4009 – Period: 1973 – 1982
iGuzzini illuminazione
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.
Luigi Massoni
Luigi Massoni was born in Milan, Italy on January 22nd 1930 and was an 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.
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 “.
Luigi Massoni also designed the logo of Harvey Guzzini as you can see below. He designed some of the most beautiful lights for the company, such as the Alvise, the Moana, the Toledo and this table lamp, the Brumbry.
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)…
First editions have a different base, the white painted metal is made in 1 piece
Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp – brown edition – also on Vintageinfo, click here
Links (external links open in a new window)
The Fratelli Guzzini website about Luigi Massoni
Luigi Massoni on the Alessi website
Films
L’Instinct de Mort – Public Enemy Number One (Mesrine) – Wikipedia
L’Instinct de Mort – Public Enemy Number One (Mesrine) part 1 – IMDb
36 Quai des Orfèvres – Wikipedia
Un Éléphant Ça Trompe Énormément (1976) film – Wikipedia
Un Éléphant Ça Trompe Énormément (1976) film – IMDb
Vintageinfo
Brown version of the Harvey Guzzini Brumbry table lamp
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.