Vintageinfo – All About Vintage Lighting

1950s Cobra Desk Lamp

Materials: Light yellow painted oval cast iron base. Painted with wrinkle paint. Conical brass rod/tube. Brass gooseneck. Light yellow aluminium folded lampshade perforated with elongated slots, painted white inside. White painted rod and brass E27 socket.

Height: 45 cm / 17.71” – adjustable

Lampshade: 27,5 x 24 cm / 10.82 x 9.44”

Base: 16 x 11 cm / 6.29 x 4.33”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 75 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, not a specific one preferred.

Period: 1950s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: To be appraised.

Manufacturer: Gebrüder Cosack, Neheim-Hüsten, Germany.

Other versions: This 1950s cobra desk lamp exists in many colours.

The Belgian company S.A. Boulanger made a version of this lamp with a closed lampshade, without the elongated slits and a few other small differences, model 4324, as you can see.

Cosack

The Gebrüder Cosack (Gecoscompany was founded in 1833 as a metal processing plant in Neheim-HüstenGermany 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

1950s Cobra Desk Lamp – Electric Parts
BJB

The socket of this desk lamp was made by BJB. BJB is Brökelmann, Jäger and Busse, BJB GmbH & Co. KG. The BJB company was founded in 1867 and started with petroleum lighting. The company still exists. Today they produce LED lamps, terminal blocks and connectors, lamp holders for conventional lighting and switches. They are active in the whole world. BJB GmbH & Co. KG is located on Werler Strasse 1, 59755, ArnsbergGermany.

VLM Components

The switch was made by VLM Components. VLM Components was founded in 1945 in Buccinasco, a small village near Milan, Italy. VLM Components is part of the Relco Group, founded in 1967. Today they are the owners of the brands Relco, Leuci, Relco Lighting, VLM Components and Segno. VLM Components became famous for the switches they produce which were designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1968.

Many thanks to Gael for the image of the Boulanger desk lamp.