Cosack 1950s Bedside Table Lamp

Materials: Round metal (iron) slant base, painted with yellow wrinkle-paint. Iron lid on the bottom with green felt glued on it. Slightly curved brass rod. Brass joint. Adjustable yellow painted conical aluminium lampshade, painted white inside. Brass E14 socket.

Height: 22,5 cm / 8.85”

Lampshade: ∅ 6 x 14 cm / 2.36 x 5.51”

Base:  ∅ 8,4 cm / 3.30”

Electricity: 1 bulb E14, 1 x 60 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used, but a small bulb is preferred. For this setup a refrigerator bulb was used.

Period: 1950s, 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: To be appraised.

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

Other versions: This Cosack 1950s bedside table lamp exists in several colours. It is a small lamp. It can be used as a desk or table lamp, but it was probably meant for use as a bedside table lamp. The angled base is reminiscent of the base used for various lamps designed by the famous Italian designer Gino Sarfatti (1912 – 1985) for his company Arteluce. Models 566, 573 and 581 have a comparable base.

Cosack Leuchten

The Gebrüder Cosack (Gecos) company was founded in 1848 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.

After the Second World War Cosack pursued a modern direction. A best seller were copper lighting for restaurants. It is said that the company was declared bankrupt in 1984, but the last catalogue I have (1989 -1990) was published in 1989.

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. 

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, Arnsberg, Germany.

VLM Components

The switch was made by the VLM Components company from Buccinasco, near Milan in Italy. Today VLM Components is owned by Relco. It is one of the biggest suppliers of switches, cords and plugs in Europe. VLM Components became famous for the switches they produce that were designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1968.