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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: malcmat on May 18, 2016, 12:03:12 PM

Title: 5kg Kosta lamp base
Post by: malcmat on May 18, 2016, 12:03:12 PM
This 5kgs beast of a lamp base is signed Kosta 65 and what I think could be Lindstrand but not sure.
45 cm tall and 11cm dia at the base.
Is the signature the year of manufacture 65 and do others think it is a Lindtrand piece.
Many thanks
Malcolm
Title: Re: 5kg Kosta lamp base
Post by: Della on May 18, 2016, 12:57:42 PM

There was one at auction signed Kosta 63 Lindstrand, but they don't show a signature. Most of his pieces which are signed are not cursive writing. There are slight differences in his signature, but it is different writing on glass than on paper, see here https://www.artsignaturedictionary.com/artist/vicke.lindstrand
There are plenty on the internet, so I'd say, have a look to compare as you have the lamp in hand.  :D
Title: Re: 5kg Kosta lamp base
Post by: Paul S. on May 18, 2016, 01:56:48 PM
regret I don't have experience of these pieces, but some information direct from Vigier & Pina  ('Smoke & Ice')  might be of interest.

Appears Lindstrand was with Kosta from 1950 - 1973, and during early 1950s and 1960s most pieces were marked 'Kosta', with a designer code followed by a secondary code which indicated the type of glass, and a four digit production No. - but not, it seems, the designers name.                I'm not sure what type of glass this piece might be described as.               
During the early 1970s the signatures and markings changed to include the designers signature, as well as a five digit production No.  -  it gets quite complex after this with various letters/codes etc., but being earlier your piece should have been simpler, although going by these authors it seems those pieces from the '60's wouldn't have shown a signature, but would probably have included an upper case L for Lindstrand.
Presumably, like many of the Scandi factories, signatures were mostly that of a company employee, as opposed the actual designer, so type of writing not restricted to one worker, and can vary.

In said book it appears that most pieces had a fairly large circular ground/polished pontil depression but not sure I'm seeing this on your glass, and regret I can't match the lettering on your piece with the Lindstrand signature in the book  -  although that not a conclusive feature remotely.              Would agree that signatures on glass appear often not to be cursive, presumably for obvious reasons of difficulty of writing on glass, so your piece unusual in that respect.            All of the Kosta signatures I can see show letters created individually.

regret of no help  -  going back a few years we did have some people with much knowledge of Scandi glass, but they mostly now absent.
Title: Re: 5kg Kosta lamp base
Post by: malcmat on May 18, 2016, 03:37:31 PM
Thanks Della and Paul S. for your observations I did find very similar lamp bases on the web after some hunting
 http://www.remains.com/product/atl1887/kosta-table-lamps.html

Many thanks
Malcolm
Title: Re: 5kg Kosta lamp base
Post by: glassobsessed on May 18, 2016, 05:59:47 PM
I wondered why you described this as a lamp base, now I know. ;D

I had what was essentially the same design but mine was much smaller, more of a paperweight...

John