Guzzini Furniture
Guzzini is often mistakenly thought to be the name of a lighting designer active in the 1960s and 1970s. But in fact the label belongs to a lighting manufacturing company that was founded by six Guzzini brothers — Raimondo, Giovanni, Virgilio, Giuseppe, Adolfo and Giannunzio, who were inspired by the 1950 film Harvey starring James Stewart.
Compounding the historical record even further, it seems that the Guzzini company rebranded many times in the 20th century, going by, at various points, Harvey Creazioni, Harvey Guzzini, Guzzini, iGuzzini and Illuminazione Guzzini. Harvey Creazioni was originally founded in 1959 in Recanati (on the east-central coast of Italy) by Raimondo, focusing on the production of copper-plated decorative objects. Four years later, in June 1963, the six brothers joined together and established Harvey Creazioni di Guzzini, expanding production to include pendant lighting, sconces, table lamps and floor lamps.
The brothers employed architect-designer Luigi Massoni — who was introduced to the Guzzini brothers by leading plastic importer Maurizio Adreani — as head of design, branding, public relations and advertising. Famous Harvey Guzzini designs include Massoni and Luciano Buttura's Mushroom table lamp (1965) as well as the in-house designed Arc floor lamp (1968), Faro table lamp (1970) and Toledo table lamp (1973). Studio 6G, an interning design team, developed the collectible Clan table lamp (1968); and designers Ermanno Lampa and Sergio Brazzoli were responsible for the Nastro series (1970), Orione pendant (1970), Sirio table lamp (1970), Alba floor lamp (1973), Albanella table lamp (1973) and Alf series (1976). Around 1976, Harvey Guzzini ceased the production of copper-plated items to concentrate on lighting made almost exclusively from methacrylate plastic (acrylic). The company also dabbled in furniture production, collaborating with Yugoslavian furniture producer Meblo, located in Nova Gorica in present-day Slovenia.
In 1967–68, the company exhibited at Domus: Formes Italiennes in the Galeries Lafayette in Paris under the name Design House (DH), where the company featured Gio Ponti’s Media lamp. A retail outlet was opened in central Milan under the name Harvey Guzzini-DH in 1969, situated literally and figuratively among the best known Italian design houses. In 1974, the company rebranded once more as iGuzzini, adding Illuminazione in 1981, which still exists today with headquarters in Recanati, Italy.
Find a collection of vintage Guzzini furniture today on 1stDibs.
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Guzzini Furniture
Chrome
Late 20th Century Italian Space Age Guzzini Furniture
Plastic
Late 20th Century Italian Space Age Guzzini Furniture
Plastic
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Metal, Nickel
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Guzzini Furniture
Metal, Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Guzzini Furniture
Plastic
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Acrylic, Lucite
20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Guzzini Furniture
Marble, Gold Leaf, Iron
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Guzzini Furniture
Brass
1960s Italian Neoclassical Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Metal
1970s Dutch Space Age Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Plastic
1970s Dutch Space Age Vintage Guzzini Furniture
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Guzzini Furniture
Murano Glass
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Guzzini Furniture
Crystal, Silver
