1960s Wrinkle Paint Desk Lamp

Materials: Black painted round cast iron base. Painted with wrinkle paint. Brass nickel-plated gooseneck. Red painted conical aluminium lampshade, painted white inside. Also painted with wrinkle paint. Metal and porcelain E27 socket.

Height: 34 cm / 13.38” – adjustable

Lampshade: 12 x 14,5 cm / 4.72 x 5.70”

Base: ∅ 11 cm / 4.33”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.

Period: 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Gebrüder Cosack – Gecos, Neheim-Hüsten, Germany.

Other versions: This 1960s wrinkle paint desk lamp was made in several colours, all with a black base.

Cosack

The Gebrüder Cosack (Gecos) company was founded in 1833 as a metal processing plant in Neheim-Hüsten, Germany by Egon, Friedrich and Theodor Cosack together with Gottliebe Tappe. It was named Metallwarenfabrik Tapp + Cosack. In the beginning they made liturgical items, crosses and upholstery nails made of brass and they also produced kerosene lamps. Later the company came to the production of electric lamps.

In 1921 a cardboard factory was started, originally for packaging the Cosack Group‘s own products, including lights, nails, rivets and kitchen appliances.

After the Second World War Cosack pursued a modern direction. A best seller were copper lighting for restaurants. The company was declared bankrupt in 1984.

The cardboard factory still exists. The sixth generation is now running the business at the Cosack plant.

Best known designers: Gottfried Stürzenhofecker, K. H. Kinsky, Hans Wilfried Hegger, Hans-Joachim Groth, Burkhard Panteleit, Joachim O. Becker, Prof. Friedrich Becker, Waldemar Rothe and Jan Armgardt. 

Gebrüder Cosack (Gecos) received 15 iF Design Awards. 

ERWI

This lamp has a cast iron base made by ERWI. ERWI was a cast iron producer, not a lamp producer. ERWI made cast iron counterweights for several lighting companies. The ERWI company produced many items in cast iron, for instance also Christmas tree stands. In all probability a German company. It does not exist anymore.

Kaiser Leuchten (Gebr. Kaiser & Co. Leuchten KG), Philips (Koninklijke Philips N.V.), Hillebrand-Leuchten (Egon Hillebrand Leuchtenfabrik) and Cosack (Gebrüder Cosack) used cast iron bases produced by ERWI. For example, the famous crow’s foot table lamp by Philips designed by Louis Kalff in the 1950s has an ERWI base. Hense the mix-up with some Cosack lamps that have a similar design as the Philips lamps.

The switch was made by Arno, in all probability an Italian company.