Guzzini.

Plurex, Old Fashion, Gocce, Mango — Guzzini methacrylate tableware and objects by Bonacina, Munari, Aulenti, Italian vintage since 1912.

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Country: Italie
Founded: 1912

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Guzzini

Guzzini is one of the oldest Italian tableware houses still in operation, founded in 1912 in Recanati (Marches) by Enrico Guzzini. Originally a horn-craft artisan, the company reconverted post-war to synthetic materials and from the 1960s became one of the world references for coloured methacrylate (plexiglass) tableware. Plurex bowls, Bruno Munari's Gocce vases, and Old Fashion tumblers became classics of pop Italian design. LAPIERRE sources and documents vintage Guzzini pieces 1960-90 for the Paris market.

House history

Enrico Guzzini founded the house in 1912 in Recanati, in the Italian Marches, as a workshop for horn objects (combs, boxes, accessories). After World War II, his sons Mariano, Raimondo, Giovanni, Virgilio, and Enrico Guzzini Jr. diversified the activity — hence the birth of iGuzzini in 1959 (architectural lighting, founded by Raimondo) and the evolution of Guzzini toward plastic. From 1953, the house experimented with methacrylate, then unusual industrial material for tableware.

In the 1960s, Guzzini launched signature collections that defined Italian pop aesthetics: Plurex (1968), Old Fashion, and the collaboration with Bruno Munari for Gocce vases (1976). The house then allied with Gae Aulenti, Achille Castiglioni, Carlo Bartoli, Sergio Asti, and several major Italian designers.

Iconic pieces we source

Plurex Bowls (1968) — Different sizes, thick double-walled methacrylate, original colours (orange, red, cobalt blue, green, amber). Sets of 4 to 8 pieces most sought-after.
Bruno Munari Gocce Vases (1976) — Sculptural methacrylate vases, drop or irregular forms.
Old Fashion Tumblers — Double-walled methacrylate tumblers and glasses, thermal isolator for hot/cold drinks.
Mango Plates — Coloured 1970 design plates and trays.
Aulenti for Guzzini Pieces — Designer-author collections, rarer.

Recognising the authentic

An authentic Guzzini piece presents: Guzzini + Made in Italy marking engraved or stamped under the piece, thick methacrylate in characteristic period vivid hues (vintage colours are deeper than modern reissues), designer mention for signed pieces (e.g. "Bruno Munari" on Gocce vases). Copies use thinner plastic, more matte colours, and have no Guzzini marking.

LAPIERRE process for this brand

Sourcing primarily in Italy (Marches, Lombardy, Veneto) from specialised antique dealers and estates, occasionally in France from 1970s Italian design enthusiasts. Authentication via marking and methacrylate quality. Restoration: simple cleaning, preservation of original colours.

Request a search

If you're looking for a specific Guzzini piece (Plurex set of 6, Munari Gocce vase, coordinated sets), contact us.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the history of Guzzini?

Guzzini was founded in 1912 in Recanati (Marches, Italy) by Enrico Guzzini, a horn-craft artisan. The house reconverted post-war to synthetic materials: methacrylate (PMMA, plexiglass) from the 1950s, then industrial coloured plastics. This reconversion made Guzzini one of the signature brands of Italian tableware in the 1960s-80s, with vivid colour palette (orange, red, cobalt blue, green) and geometric forms that define Italian pop aesthetics. Iconic: Plurex bowls, Gocce vases (Bruno Munari), Old Fashion tumblers, Mango plates.

How do I authenticate a vintage Guzzini piece?

An authentic Guzzini piece bears the Guzzini + Made in Italy marking engraved or stamped under the piece. Vintage pieces 1960-90 use thick methacrylate in characteristic vivid hues (modern reissues often use less dense plastics). Designer-signed pieces (e.g. Bruno Munari for Gocce vases, Gae Aulenti for some collections) bear additional designer mention. Copies use thinner plastic, more matte colours, and have no Guzzini marking.

Which Guzzini pieces do you source?

Our sourcing favours signature pieces of Italian 1960s-80s tableware: Plurex bowls (different sizes, original colours), Gocce vases by Bruno Munari, Old Fashion tumblers (double-walled methacrylate), Mango plates, sculptural Bonacina vases for Guzzini, and pieces signed by Aulenti in design-author collections. Original colours (orange, red, cobalt blue, wagon green, amber) are most sought-after.

Why is vintage Guzzini collected?

Guzzini represents Italian tableware at its pop apex — the 1960s-80s, era when methacrylate was a noble material and a marker of modernity. Pieces from this period carry radical Italian aesthetics (saturated colours, geometric forms, claimed industrial material). On the secondary market, Munari's Gocce vases, Plurex bowls in coherent sets, and Aulenti pieces for Guzzini reach growing prices since 2015. The market remains accessible — isolated piece 50-300 EUR, set or signature piece 200-1,500 EUR.

How is a Guzzini delivered?

Guzzini pieces are relatively light and resistant (thick methacrylate), but colours can be altered by prolonged sun exposure — opaque packaging for transport. For coherent sets (Plurex bowls in series, Gocce vase set), individual packaging per piece in foam crate. For Paris and Île-de-France, delivery in our internal van. For France, Mondial Relay or Colissimo depending on volume. Typical delays: 3 to 7 days.