The Fusell TL is a 510mm table lamp with capiz shell detailing on an ironbase, topped with a fabric shade one E27 globe to 25W, not supplied, on1.8metres of flex.

It is made of capiz shell and neither our record nor ourspecification table said so. The record carried no material at all, and thetable said Iron Fabric. Only the description mentioned theshell, which is the entire reason the lamp looks and costs as it does.

What capiz shell actually is

A natural material, not a finish. Capiz is the shell of thewindowpane oyster, and it has one property nothing manufactured quite reproduces: itis naturally translucent thin enough to pass light, dense enough to scatterit.

• Unlit, it reads as a soft pearlescent surface with a faintiridescence that shifts as you move past it.
• Lit, the individual pieces glow from within, each slightlydifferently, because each is a different thickness. That unevenness is the effect a moulded plastic panel lights perfectly evenly and looks it.

Every lamp is therefore different. Natural shell varies in tone, translucency andpattern, so yours will not be identical to the photograph which is the pointof a natural material rather than a fault.

Handle the shell gently. Capiz is a thin naturalmaterial: dust it with a dry soft cloth or a soft brush, and keep it awayfrom water, sprays and polishes.

It plugs into a power point. Our page said itmust be installed by a licensed electrician. It has1.8metres of flex and is ClassII double insulated.Removed.

510mm tall, and the shade above the shell

On a 120mm base at 1.36kg, with a250mm fabric shade. The arrangement gives youtwo different lights from one lamp: the opaque fabric shade throws adefined pool down onto the surface and a wash on the ceiling, while thecapiz base glows softly on its own at the level of the table. That lower glow is whatmakes the Fusell read as ambient rather than functional even when it is doing usefulwork.

1.36kg on a 120mm base ismodest for a 510mm lamp and this one hasa shell base you would rather not have on the floor. Keep itback from the edge of a narrow table and clear of a flex that gets pulled. If it isgoing somewhere with real traffic, ask us about a heavier lamp theVybor, in travertine, is 6.1kg.

The globe is hidden, so the choice is simple

One E27 to 25W, not supplied. Nothing shows through the fabric shade, sobrightness and warmth are the only decisions. Usewarm 2700K capiz shell is awarm, creamy natural material, and cool white makes it look grey and dead.

Dimming depends on the globe andneither our record nor our specification table mentioned dimming at all. Thedatasheet says globe dependent, which is right. On a plug-in lamp that means aninline or plug-in dimmer, and on this lamp it isespecially worth doing: taken low, the fabric shade goes quiet andthe capiz base becomes the whole lamp. Ask us and we will match thepair.

Where it works

• Sideboards, consoles and hall tables where the glowing base is seen.
• Bedsides, on a table with room to keep it back from the edge.
• Coastal, bohemian and natural-material interiors.
• Natural shell every lamp differs, and it dusts dry, never wet.
• 1.36kg keep it clear of knocks and pulled flexes.

Specifying it

510mm high by 250mm wide, base120mm, flex 1,800mm,1.36kg, in CAPIZ SHELL, iron and fabric, white and gold. OneE27 globe to 25W, not supplied;dimming is globe dependent and needs an inline or plug-in dimmer. 240V,plug-in no electrician required,ClassII double insulated,IP20 indoor and dry locations only. Warranty is three years, as a replacementwarranty.

Supplied and supported by Lights For You.

Questions

What is capiz shell?

The shell of the windowpane oyster a natural material, not a finish. It is naturally translucent: thin enough to pass light, dense enough to scatter it. Unlit it reads as a soft pearlescent surface with a faint iridescence; lit, the individual pieces glow from within, each slightly differently because each is a different thickness. That unevenness is the effect a moulded plastic panel lights perfectly evenly and looks it.

Will mine look like the photograph?

Not exactly. Natural shell varies in tone, translucency and pattern, so every lamp is different the point of a natural material rather than a fault.

How do I clean it?

A dry soft cloth or a soft brush. Capiz is a thin natural material keep it away from water, sprays and polishes.

Do I need an electrician?

No. It has 1.8 metres of flex and is double insulated fit a globe and plug it in. Our page said otherwise, which was wrong.

What kind of light does it give?

Two, from one lamp. The opaque fabric shade throws a defined pool down onto the surface and a wash on the ceiling, while the capiz base glows softly on its own at table level. That lower glow is what makes it read as ambient even when it is doing useful work.

Can I dim it?

With the right globe and an inline or plug-in dimmer neither our record nor our specification table mentioned dimming at all. On this lamp it is especially worth doing: taken low, the fabric shade goes quiet and the capiz base becomes the whole lamp.

Is it stable?

1.36kg on a 120mm base is modest for a 510mm lamp and this one has a shell base you would rather not have on the floor. Keep it back from the edge of a narrow table and clear of a flex that gets pulled. For a high-traffic spot, ask us about the Vybor, which is 6.1kg in travertine.