Nordisk Solar Krokus Pendant Lamp

Materials: Conical round red glass lampshade. Cork. Bakelite E27 socket.

Cord Length: 120 cm / 47.24”

Height: 32 cm / 12.59”

Width: ∅ 23 cm / 9.05”

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: 1950s, 1960s – Mid-Century Modern.

Designer: Sigvard Bernadotte & Acton Bjørn.

Manufacturer: Nordisk Solar Compagni, Denmark.

Other versions: This Nordisk Solar Krokus pendant lamp exists in several colours. It is model 1016. Later versions have another hanging mechanism, and not a cork inside to hold the socket.

Krokus = crocus

In the USA these lamps were sold by Prescolite. Today Prescolite is part of LBC Lighting. Probably also some other companies sold Nordisk Solar lamps.

Acton Bjørn

Acton Bjørn was born, 23 September 1910 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole) from 1931 to 1933.

From 1933 until 1934 Bjørn worked with Jørgen Berg and Ivar Bentsen on Blidah, a housing development in Hellerup. He was also an employee of architect Vilhelm Lauritzen.

During World War II, he began to design furniture and wallpaper.

Together with Sigvard Bernadotte, the “design prince of Sweden”, he established the first Scandinavian design studio dedicated to industrial design in 1950. Bernadotte & Bjørn became known for products in metal and plastic in many areas. From 1966 to 1990, Acton Bjørn ran the design studio alone.

Acton Bjørn received numerous awards for his designs. He passed away, 20 June 1992 in Charlottenlund, Denmark.

Sigvard Bernadotte

Sigvard Bernadotte, the “design prince of Sweden” was born in 1907 as Prince Sigvard, the duke of Uppland, Sweden. His grandfather, Gustaf V, was the king at that time. He was third in line to the throne at birth.

The prince designed innumerable objects. He designed kitchenware, lighters, furniture, jewellery, glasses and so on. This lamp was designed in the 1960s. Sigvard Bernadotte passed away in 2002.

Nordisk Solar

Nordisk Solar was founded in 1919 by Jacob L. Jørgensen and Herluf Sørensen. The company started business as an import and wholesale company of electricity meters. Later they produced radios under the name Audiola. Since the early 1960s “Solar” focused on high-quality lighting.

Harald Jørgensen takes over the position as Chairman of the Board in Audiola after the death of his father. The lighting production is extracted from Audiola and carries on as an independent department under the name “Solar Fittings Production” in Nordisk Solar Compagni.

In 1990 Solar bought Swedish lamp manufacturer Hans-Agne Jakobsson A/S and sells it to Thorn Lighting in 1998.

Today, Solar still handles lighting, but now via the Solar Light concept, which is based on procured products from leading European lighting manufacturers.

Designers that worked for the company are, among others: Sigvard Bernadotte, Acton Bjørn, Max Brüel, Vagn Dyring, Preben Fabricius, Anton Fogh Holm, Jørgen Kastholm, Eva Koppel, Nils Koppel, Sven Middelboe and Jørn Utzon.