Short Cone Pendant Light | Blackjack Lighting

Short Cone is a narrow cone of precision cast aluminum, 10.36 inches tall and only 2.2 inches across at its widest, hung point-up from a fine cable. At the open base sits a thin reflector ring and a frosted optical light guide, so the light leaves the cone as a soft, even disc rather than a bright point. From a distance it reads as a single sharp, tapering stroke ending in a glow.

The shape is about tension: a heavy, solid-looking metal form drawn down to a fine point at the top and opened at the bottom just enough to let light out. That makes Short Cone a strong accent in a kitchen, over a reception desk or in a row above a bar, where several at one height become a rhythm of tapering silhouettes. The finish changes the mood more than you might expect: Matte Black with a gold interior gives a warm, jewel-like rim, White with a white interior is soft and quiet, and Polished Chrome inside and out turns each cone into a reflective spike.

Design notes

• An even glow at the tip: a frosted optical light guide spreads the integrated LED across the opening for low-glare light.
• Tapered proportion: a 10.36 in (26.3 cm) cone, 2.2 in (5.6 cm) wide, about 10.75 in (27.3 cm) with its reflector ring.
• Cast aluminum housing: a precise, solid form with a 0.39 in (1 cm) reflector ring at the base.
• Four mountings: 5 in canopy with built-in driver, 2.5 in fascia canopy, Multi-Port connector or JackTrack adapter.
• Finish with interior color: Matte Black with gold interior, White with white interior, or Polished Chrome throughout.

Specifications

Downloads

• Short Cone specification sheet (PDF)
• Short Cone installation instructions (PDF)
• Short Cone LM-79 photometric report (PDF)
• Short Cone IES file (ZIP)

Stephen Blackman and Blackjack Lighting

Blackjack Lighting is the studio of industrial designer Stephen Blackman, its President and Chief Design Officer. Trained in industrial design at Syracuse University, Blackman began his lighting career in 1984 at Sonneman Design Group, then founded Blackman Design Associates in 1988, designing decorative and architectural lighting for manufacturers including Kichler. He launched Blackjack in 2013 in suburban Chicago, now based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, to build fixtures conceived for LED from the first sketch.

His argument is that the LED should change the shape of a light, not just its efficiency. Rather than hiding a new source inside old bulb-and-shade forms, Blackjack designs around the small, flat, cool-running LED: thin discs, slim rods, glowing rings and lenses that let the light itself become the object. In his own words, "Decorative lighting by its nature is not primarily about optimizing lamp efficiency, it is primarily about decoration!" Short Cone shows how far a small LED lets a form be pared down: a solid metal spike that ends in a soft disc of light.

Questions

What is the design idea behind Short Cone?

A pure tapering form. The cast aluminum cone narrows to a point at the top and opens at the base, where a frosted light guide turns the LED into a soft, even disc of light.

Who is behind Blackjack Lighting?

Industrial designer Stephen Blackman, President and Chief Design Officer, who has designed lighting since 1984 and founded Blackjack in 2013 to make LED-native fixtures.

Which finish should I choose?

Matte Black with its gold interior is warm and dramatic. White with a white interior blends into pale rooms. Polished Chrome reflects its surroundings and suits glossy kitchens and hospitality spaces.

How bright is it, and how is it dimmed?

397 lumens at 3000K with a 90 CRI, a focused accent light. Dimming is universal on TRIAC, ELV and 0-10V controls.

What warranty does it carry?

Three years on the integrated LED source and LED power supply, and one year on materials and workmanship, for the original buyer in the US and Canada.