London-based designer Philippe Malouin interpreted the sixteenth-century French cup-and-ball game by turning it into a lamp for Flos. The “seriously playful table lamp,” as Flos calls it, consists of two cylinders connected by a magnetic sphere.

Remove the upper cylinder of Bilboquet completely to aim light anywhere. “Bilboquet cultivates a joyful use of light—transforming the experience into a time of experimentation and customization through a delightful balance of shapes, materials, and colors,” notes Flos.

Bilboquet is not just super cute—it also incorporates earth-friendly materials. The external body uses a unique bio-plastic that comes from a byproduct of paper production. And its mesmerizing and magnetic steel sphere is a part “traditionally used in wind turbines and often wasted in its original use due to minimum defects on the diameter.”

With a colored body, cable, and plug, Bilboquet looks like three species of little aliens. Tomato is calling to me personally, although Sage and Linen are fetching in their own organic way. Imagine what fun children could have with Bilboquet on their nightstands—with the removable “head” of this little guy casting shadows in the dark of night.

Anyone who likes compact, colorful, anthropomorphic table lamps might also be enamored with Vinge Table Lamp.