Mid-Century Italian Demi Wall Lights by Gio Ponti for Guzzini, 1970s

Born in Milan in 1891, Giovanni (Gio) Ponti studied architecture at Politecnico. After serving in World War I, he worked as Art Director for respected ceramics company Richard-Ginori. Between 1923 and 1927, he partnered with architects Mino Fiocchi and Emilio Lancia. In 1928, Ponti launched both his own architectural studio and the famed magazine Domus. Through the pages of Domus—and, later, those of Lo Stile, which he founded and edited between 1941 and 1947—Ponti influenced international design taste for over 50 years.

Around 1933, he teamed up with engineers Antonio Fornaroli and Eugenio Soncini to form Studio Ponti-Fornaroli-Soncini, which embraced a decidedly Modernist idiom and lasted until 1945. In 1950, he won the design commission for what became one of the 20^th century’s most iconic buildings: Milan’s 32-story Pirelli Tower (built 1956). In 1952, he partnered with architect Alberto Rosselli (Studio Ponti-Fornaroli-Rosselli); after Rosselli’s death in 1976, Ponti continued to collaborate with longtime partner Fornaroli.

Throughout his career, Ponti juggled numerous roles, including architect, industrial designer, craftsman, professor, painter, editor, and journalist. In addition to his prolific architectural work, Ponti’s design credits are also extensive, ranging from coffee machines (the world’s first, the Pavoni, in 1949) to lighting and furniture for the likes of Cassina, Artemide, and Venini.

Harvey 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, which 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 Recanti (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, and lamps, 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 advertizing.

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’sMedia Lamp. A retail outlet was opened in central Milan under the name Harvey Guzzini-DH in 1969, situating the brand 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.