I must admit cut crystal is not one of my favorite materials. Many years ago, I received very elaborate cut crystal beer steins as a wedding gift. Simply out of propriety, I kept these very expensive fluted items tucked away in the back of a kitchen cabinet. I take them out once a year upon the visit of a certain gift giver who shall remain nameless. But despite my feelings towards cut crystal, I very much like what designer Alessandra Baldereschi has done to re-energize a material that many people associate with the hoi polloi.

D65 Dono Table Lamp. Designed by Alessandra Baldereschi. Manufactured by Fabbian.

Playful Lamp Made of Cut Crystal

Literally turned on its head, the cut crystal glasses that make up the “shade” of the D65 Dono Table Lamp de-familiarize a standard dining room object. Combined with a shiny round metal base, the upside down glass feels playful—almost as if it’s a philosophical commentary on the fine trappings of modern life.

The base of Baldereschi’s design is made of polished chromium plated metal, which is resplendent enough that it refracts the light that lives inside the transparent “shade.” The final result is a table lamp that almost glows like a faceted gem. It has the same allure of prismatic chandeliers without taking itself too seriously. The Dono D65 Table Lamp acknowledges our attraction to everything scintillating while inverting our expectations.

Via Trendir.

About the Manufacturer: Italy’s Fabbian, or Fabbian Illuminazione Spa is one of the world’s foremost lighting brands. Their impressive numbers bear this out: 46 years of R&D; 90 technicians and workers to manufacture each product; a 6,000 sq. meter manufacturing facility (in Venice); 450 different lighting products; and 220,000 fixtures sold world-wide every year. That last number is easily justified by Fabbian’s consistent demonstration of originality and high style, as seen in such stunning and unorthodox pieces as the Medusa Pendant Lamp, the Cubetto D28 Wal-Mounted Sconce, and the Riccio Suspension Lamp. Fabbian consistently works with renowned designers including Francesco Lucchese, Marc Sadler, and Paolo De Lucchi.