Goodbye to the father of the wobble

The lighting world lost a big one this week: George Kovacs, the prolific designer who introduced the US to halogen torchieres, passed away at age 80. Reading about his 1971 Wobble—a floor lamp with a weighted, bulb-shaped bottom that rocked when knocked and weeble-wobbled itself upright again—reminded me of the Wobble Light, the indestructible plastic work light that Tom Silva says is the best he's ever used.

Silva's right. You could get a delicate halogen bulb in a rickety tripod that goes down every time you kick its cord. Or, you could have this reeling, rocking impact-resistant dome with a metal halide bulb that doesn't blink if you hit it with a hammer. There's even an integrated power outlet on its side. The only thing that tops the flawless functioning is the fact that it's just so charming—just try to knock it over and watch it wump-wump back into place.

Thank you, George Kovacs, for lighting the way.