Plastic pendant lamp Design Massoni for Harwey Guzzini 1970s

Luigi Massoni was one of Italy’s most prolific designers and instrumental in the growth of the country’s design industry in the postwar years through his products, advertising campaigns and journalistic work at Italian magazines.

Born in Milan, Massoni trained at the Collettivo di Architettura in Milan and worked as an architect and designer as well as a freelance journalist and consultant. He was involved with many of Italy’s most influential brands, such as Poltrona Frau, the Guzzini group and Alessi. Massoni was hired by Alessi, the legendary housewares and kitchen utensils manufacturer, which had been around since 1921, in the mid-1950s. In 1957, he collaborated with like-minded product designer Carlo Mazzeri on the universally renowned stainless-steel cocktail shaker 870, which, followed by other kitchen containers for the brand, was one of the first objects from Alessi that hadn’t been created in-house.

Together with architect Carlo De Carli, Massoni founded a magazine called Il Mobile Italiano and later Mobilia, an association of Italian furniture makers and one of the first organizations that focused on the promotion of Italian design. In the 1960s, Massoni began to design lamps and serveware for Guzzini, where he also consulted on design and company communications. He designed revolutionary furnishings for the kitchen at Boffi Cucine, producing modular kitchens, cabinets without traditional handles and more.

On 1stDibs, browse a collection of vintage Luigi Massoni vanity tables, sideboards, table lamps and more.

Harvey Guzzini may sound like a single designer, but it was actually a mid-century Italian lighting company started by six brothers in the Guzzini family: Giovanni, Raimondo, Giuseppe, Adolfo, Virgilio and Giannunzio. The first part of the name was an homage to the 1950 film Harvey. 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, Guzzini, Illuminazione Guzzini and iGuzzini. 

The Harvey Guzzini brand produced a range of fixtures during the postwar years, including table lamps, floor lamps and pendant lights. 

Harvey Guzzini was founded in 1959 in a room of Giovanni's home in the town of Recanati. Initially, the company was focused on making copper decorative objects. The brothers quickly established their own studio space and, in 1963, they expanded into lighting production. The following year, they hired prolific Italian designer Luigi Massoni as head of design. In addition to Harvey Guzzini, Massoni was involved with many of Italy’s most influential brands, such as Poltrona Frau and Alessi. 

Another key to the growing success of Harvey Guzzini was partnerships with a number of Italy's most prominent designers, including Gio Ponti, Fabio Lenci, Rodolfo Bonetto, Cesare Casati and Ennio Lucini.

From 1967 to 1968, Harvey Guzzini also participated in “Domus: Formes Italiennes,” an exhibition held at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. By 1969, the company had grown into one of the best-known design firms in the country and opened a retail outlet in central Milan. 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). 

In 1974, Harvey Guzzini rebranded as iGuzzini. The company introduced a range of new and technically advanced lighting fixtures, including low-voltage halogen lamps. In 1977, iGuzzini organized the first Italian lighting design conference. In 1991, it was awarded the Compasso d'Oro for its commitment to design.

Today, iGuzzini remains headquartered in Recanati and is a leading international architectural lighting group with a rich heritage spanning more than six decades since its early days as Harvey Guzzini. The company creates lighting fixtures for workplaces, city infrastructure and even cultural heritage sites.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Harvey Guzzini table lamps, floor lamps and other lighting.