Levitating Lamp with Wooden Base

A bulb that hangs in mid-air above a wooden base and turns slowly while it glows: the Levitating Lamp is exactly as improbable in person as it sounds. Magnetic suspension holds the bulb in a stable field with nothing touching it, and power crosses the gap wirelessly, so the light stays on while the whole thing rotates through a full three hundred and sixty degrees.

Named for Nikola Tesla, the bulb carries a warm filament-style glow that suits the timber beneath it, so the piece reads as considered rather than gimmicky once it is sitting on a desk. The wooden base is solid and weighted, which it needs to be, and the field is tuned so the bulb settles back into position quickly if the surface is nudged.

It works best where people can actually see it: an office desk, a shop counter, a studio shelf, a reception area. Setting it up takes a moment of patience to find the balance point, after which it holds itself indefinitely. Keep it away from bank cards, hard drives, pacemakers and anything else sensitive to strong magnetic fields, place it on a level surface, and keep it well out of the reach of young children.

• Effect: magnetic levitation with 360 degree rotation
• Power: wireless transmission across the air gap
• Bulb: warm filament-style LED glow
• Base: solid weighted wood
• Use: desk, counter, studio, reception, gift piece
• Caution: strong magnets, keep from cards, drives and pacemakers
• Note: adult setup required, keep away from young children