apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I know this because Ive been looking: there are no decent knockoffs. the chandeliers at the met are from Lobmeyr, an austrian, to the trade only type very very high end place. I searched online and couldnt find anywhere that has the prices--but I can tell they're very $$$$$$$$$$$$. If anyone knows of a nice version I wanna know too.

LBL Makes a pendant called Celeste which will through the same type of light, look similar to a mini-version and is less than $100.

http://www.lbllighting.com/download.php?lang=2&sid=ede53b72c9d15e0420faf9c4327e90a6&func=106&subfunc=&apl=133

There are color options, and you can adjust the height to whatever you'd like.

Man, that should be 'throw', not 'through'. Long day.

FYI, the Met had a little slideshow on their site in September that showed how they clean them (and other things that get done int he off season). Like the chandeleirs in the house itself, they lower and rise and are cleaned by hand. Interesting.

Lobmeyr makes a home version that retails for $10K (saw it at ICFF).

Maybe if we place a group order we can get discount -- only $9,000 each.

I own a row of 4 seats (covered in their original burgundy velvet) from the old Met at 39th and Broadway. These seats were located in the foyer of Asti's in Greenwich Village for decades, before it closed.

Paid $100 on ebay!

valerie, if you'd like to see similar light fixtures check out the main floor at bergdorf goodman.

Valerie, I fell in love with those lights the first time I visited the Met. I dreamed of having them in my home too (I am a sucker for things that sparkle, much to my husband's delight, I;m sure).

Don't you love how they rise and lower them and keep them dimmed? Anyway, I know they were made by this austrian company Lobmeyer and you can buy them, but they are very pricey.

One option is this tiny jewlery replica:
http://www.unicahome.com/p28851/lobmeyr/met-jewlery-designed-by-lobmeyr.html

I also think if you want a really modern option you could go with the "Kristall Chandelier" but it doesn't sparkle like the Met's. http://www.uncrate.com/men/home/lighting/kristall-chandelier-002029.php

Oh my gosh, I just read that two other people mentioned Lobmeyr, sorry for the repeat.

Anyway, maybe you can DIY it. I always think I can DIY some approximation of anything I desire. Maybe some chrome pipes and a ton of austrian crystals and you're in business.

I believe those chandeliers were a gift from to the Met from the Austrian government. Maybe if you ask the Austrian government nicely they'll send you some for the small foyer in your studio co-op? After all, Freud was Austrian (though they didn't much appreciate him at the time) and this is apartment *therapy*....

The Met's lights scream 1950s. I can clearly recall seeing similar smaller versions of spiky lights. Mum said they were a pain to clean.

Here's a link about choosing the right sized chandelier
http://interiordec.about.com/cs/homelighting/qt/qt_chandelier_s.htm

You may not be poor - your room is too small (does that make you feel better?)

However maybe you can fake the effect with a cluster of small lights. Go here www.freedom.com.au, select to view the catalogue online, then go to page 36/37. As this store shamelessly rips Crate & Barrel (but not enough cb2 for my taste) you should be able to get a similar arrangement in the USA.

Never knew so many craved the Met's chandeliers.
Thanks for the tips (it'd be a kick to see a photo of those chairs from Asti's, David).
all best, Valerie

I priced these out a few weeks ago. With shipping and customs clearance through the CT distributor, the 36" version was priced at about $15k, which isn't all that outrageous if you think about it not as a light fixture but really as a piece of art...

I'm with Colleen: maybe DIY is the solution. I've always marvelled at the insane prices for chandeliers (for lighting fixtures generally) and, given that the concept is straightforward enough, the prices oughtn't to be astronomical. Light bulb(s), hanging armature and as many crystal baubles as you can find room to hang and you're in business. In fact there ought to be chandelier shops everywhere, just like the bead shops that abound in malls. If you can assemble a necklace or bracelet in a matter of minutes, you ought to be able to rig up a chandelier in less than an hour and at a reasonable price. And why crystal? I have too many place settings of silver that would make some sort of statement suspended over the dining room table. Imagine Damocles' knife, fork and spoon.

Hi Valerie.

The moma museum store and unica both sell a lovely quirky chandelier that might approximate what you're looking for. The silver one is espesh awesome, looks far better in person and kinda glows when lit!

http://www.unicahome.com/catalog/item.asp?id=14664&PartnerID=FR

I'd check out Bellacor.com. Definitely some possibilities in both the urban and crystal categories...

http://www.bellacor.com/detail.cfm?Cat=51&ItemID=83318&Loc=results_83_page_1&Page=1&UserID=5BB622F0-BF34-2E51-3DEE2D28C26E1E28&Link=Menu&Track=0

http://www.bellacor.com/detail.cfm?Cat=51&ItemID=83020&Loc=results_95_page_1&Page=1&UserID=5BB622F0-BF34-2E51-3DEE2D28C26E1E28&Link=Menu&Track=0

http://www.bellacor.com/detail.cfm?Cat=51&ItemID=83474&Loc=results_46_page_2&Page=2&UserID=5BB622F0-BF34-2E51-3DEE2D28C26E1E28&Link=Menu&Track=0

http://www.bellacor.com/detail.cfm?Cat=51&ItemID=67723&Loc=results_66_page_2&Page=2&UserID=5BB622F0-BF34-2E51-3DEE2D28C26E1E28&Link=Menu&Track=0

Honestly, I love your photo. I'm tempted to go snap a picture myself and frame it.

Oh, Also forgot that I really like this one:
http://www.mothdesign.com/chandeliers.htm

The best part of the Opera House are the chandeliers. They are soooooooooooo glamourous.


Susan

Funny, I was there last week for La Gioconda, too, and was marveling at the lights. They look like fireworks frozen in space. The crystal sconces along the hallways are beautiful, too, and I was thinking they could be rather easily replicated on the cheap.

Take a look at the Eurofase 90 light Lenka chandelier (link below). It was advertised in a Expo Design pull out section in the Nov issue of Dwell.

http://www.eurofase.com/productdetails.asp?MODEL=CH-90LEK&STATUS=ACT&CATNUM=1006

I just landed on this site after searching for the Eurofase 90-light chandelier, hoping to find someone that had something similar for under their price of $2600 - ouch.

http://www.lumenslightandliving.com/lumens/product.asp?dept_id=3012&pf_id=PAAAIALMCDKFNICO&ad_id=nextag&key_id=Lenka90LightCrystalChandelier&

try this one, I saw it in Dwell, it's very nice.

(Eurofase 90-light Lenke Chandelier)