Jewel Lamp "Area 56"

11" x 17" x 17"
Cherry, basswood, washi paper

Get lost in the facets of this softly glowing jewel.

The Jewel Lamp series explores a particular set of shapes (for the math nerds out there: polar zonohedra) that have symmetrical, faceted, shapes with points at each end.

Beautiful in their own right as small sculptures, the real magic happens when the lamps are turned on. The light fills the inset washi paper in each face with a golden glow, instantly creating a soothing, meditative ambiance in any room.

About the Name

The somewhat fanciful name for this lamp is a combination of two jokes. Since the final lamp reminded me of a UFO, the name "Area 51" (a UASF base in Nevada often cited by UFO enthusiasts) immediately came to mind. This lamp also features a seeming paradox - a pattern with 8-fold symmetries placed onto a lamp whose overall symmetry is 7-fold. Since 7 x 8 = 56, the name "Area 56" was born.

Product Details

Area 56 features a very wide version of the faceted Jewel Lamp design with one end truncated so that it can rest directly on your table top on felt-bottomed feet.

The lamp is hand-made using plywood with a basswood core and surface veneer of natural cherry, as well as genuine Japanese washi paper made from mulberry silk. (This is the same paper that is used to fashion traditional shoji screens found in Japanese architecture.)

The lamp ships with a warm, soft light, globe bulb (recommended for best effect - though you can swap in any standard socket light bulb you prefer), and wall cord. The cord features a standard US-style wall plug (120V/60Hz AC), is 6 1/2 feet in length, and has an inline on/off switch positioned on the cord about 18 inches from the lamp base.