New contemporary lamps showcase
flawless optic crystal and rare rock crystal
PLATTSBURGH, NY –-Schonbek unveiled a new collection of contemporary crystal table lamps at High Point this April. The designs are at the same time minimalist and monumental.
“Contemporary lamps,” said President & CEO Andrew Schonbek, “tend to be either boringly nondescript or a kind of visual joke. They are not likely to stand the test of time. We thought it would be interesting to design table lamps that make a powerful statement, lamps likely to become the classics of our era.”
The new collection juxtaposes two rare types of crystal: optic crystal of perfect purity and authentic rock crystal quartz.
Rock crystal is a naturally complex gemstone, with mysterious fissures and veins that have formed over eons. Optic crystal of the exceptional quality used by Schonbek is absolutely clear.
“The interplay of light between the two is riveting,” said Schonbek. “You have brilliant prismatic effects from the optic crystal, while the rock crystal appears to glow from within. These lamps are alive with an almost primal energy.”
Schonbek works with massive chunks of costly crystal – cubes, spheres, cylinders and disks – to create bold compositions. Sometimes the optic crystal is sharply faceted, sometimes cylindrical. Or there will be solid blocks of crystal seemingly floating in space. The massing of the crystal in colossal shapes is highly stylized.
The lamps, 27 to 32 inches tall, are designed on a grand scale to complement oversized rooms full of light and space. They are flagrantly opulent, yet serve as practical light sources. “This is the lamp you should have,” said Schonbek, “when you’re reading the financial page, checking the performance of your portfolio.”
Designs include lamps appropriate for buffet table, end table, bedside table or desk.
The shades are all original designs, among them a shade faceted like its crystal base, a masculine horizontal oblong shade, a feminine pinched oval charmeuse shade and a wildly retro double shade.
With some of the lamps, there’s a choice of shade color: classic neutral tone vs. startling hue.
