The Lamps That Don’t Quite Make the Cut: Our Studio Seconds

We print a lot of lamps that never make it into the regular range.

Sometimes we’re testing a proportion. Sometimes a print has one small line in the wrong place. And sometimes we like the result, but we’re still not quite sure about it.

Those pieces don’t all belong in the same pile. Some become another round of testing. Some end up in our Studio Seconds & Design Trials collection.

A small change can take a lot of tests

With a lamp, proportions are a funny thing. A shade can look right on a screen and feel a little too tall once it’s sitting on a table. Make it wider and suddenly the base looks different too.

We’ve done quite a few of these tests with Harp Echo. Some pieces are close to the final design, with a slightly different shape or proportion. They’re useful to us while we’re working things out, but afterwards we don’t need to keep every version in the studio.

That’s where the design trials come in. You might find a shape we tried along the way, rather than the exact lamp in the regular collection.

Then there are the almost-right prints

Other pieces are the finished design, with a small printing imperfection.

A line across the top. A tiny gap. A mark you notice when you look closely.

We’ve had Mycelia shades with a small gap on the top surface, and Harp Echo trials with a visible line. There have been repaired pieces too. Each has its own story, so we photograph and describe the individual lamp rather than giving everything the same vague “minor defect” label.

We wouldn’t feel right sending one out as a full-price, regular piece without mentioning it. But it can still be something someone wants in their home.

What you’re actually buying

“Seconds” covers a few different things in our studio. It might be a cosmetic imperfection, a repaired piece or a design trial that differs from the final version.

Before choosing one, read the individual description and look through the photos. We explain the particular issue, the size and what comes with it. If there’s a different assembly requirement, that matters too.

You’re choosing that specific piece. If you’re unsure about a mark or how something fits together, ask us before ordering. We’d much rather explain it properly.

A little more room to experiment

For us, this collection makes room for the next test. For you, it can be a way to try a sculptural lamp at a lower price, or pick up a version that won’t become part of the regular range.

The selection changes as pieces sell and new tests come off the printers. There isn’t a matching batch behind every listing.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, have a look through our current Studio Seconds and design trials. Or browse the regular table lamp collection if you have a particular design in mind.