Seeded Glass Pendant · Solid Brass

A hand-blown clear glass pendant, seeded with air bubbles held in the wall of the glass, drawn to an organic form that swells at the base and tapers to a narrow neck. Polished brass socket housing, black fabric-covered cord. Ø 11.75" (29.8 cm) and 11.75" (29.8 cm) tall.

The bulb is part of this design

Understand this before specifying it, because it is the opposite of an opal or acrylic fixture. The glass is fully clear and the brass socket is visible inside it, so the lamp you fit is seen from every angle and is as much a part of the piece as the glass around it. Fit a decorative filament lamp with a visible element — a teardrop or tubular shape at 2700K — and the piece works as intended. Fit a plain frosted household bulb and it will read as unfinished. Keep the output modest, around 40W equivalent, since clear glass gives no diffusion and a bright lamp at seated eye level will glare.

The glass

Blown by hand, so the wall thickness varies and the form is never twice identical: the soft dimples and the slight asymmetry are records of the blowing, not faults. Air bubbles are introduced into the gather and stretch with the glass as it is worked, which is why they run denser in some areas and thin out in others. Against a lit filament the seeding catches the light as points across the whole surface.

The brass

Polished solid brass socket housing and cord grip, left bright rather than antiqued so it reads with the clarity of the glass rather than against it. Because it sits inside a transparent shade it is finished on all sides, not only where a shade would normally hide it.

Sizing and placement

At 11.75" this is a single-point pendant, not a room's main light. Over a kitchen island, hang two or three in a row at 30" to 36" (76 to 91 cm) above the counter and 24" to 30" (60 to 75 cm) apart. Over a bedside table, drop it to around 20" (50 cm) above the surface and it replaces a lamp entirely. In a stairwell it works hung in a loose cluster at staggered heights, where the clear glass keeps the group from reading as a solid mass.

Because the glass is transparent, think about what sits behind it. Against a plain wall or a dark ceiling void it reads as a clean silhouette; against a busy backdrop the form is harder to see.

Installation

Ceiling mounted, cord-hung, and light enough to fix to a standard ceiling outlet box. The cord is cut to length at installation, so settle the finished height before the electrician terminates it — this is the one step that cannot be undone on site. Where several hang together, mark and cut all of them against the same datum rather than measuring each from its own canopy, since ceilings are rarely level.

Lamping

1 x E26 medium base. Bulb not supplied. See the note above: with clear glass the lamp is a design decision rather than a technical one. Where several hang in a row, use identical lamps — any difference in filament shape or colour temperature is completely exposed.

Care

Clear seeded glass shows dust more than opal or frosted glass, so expect to clean it more often. Use a dry microfibre cloth on the outside and reach the inside only when the lamp is out and cool. Wipe the brass with a barely damp cloth and dry immediately; do not use metal polish, which will mark the glass if it touches it.

Made to order

Every piece is built to order. Cord length and lamping are specified when you order; changes to the external structure of the fixture are treated as customisation. Trade and project quantities are quoted on request.