Topic: More glass bricks/pavement lights/ashtrays?

[Margi]

The base from the 1st level is approx 1.5cm and from the bottom of the ledge it is only .5cm.  I see what you mean re the scratches inside the item as there is only a couple, nearly all of the scratches that are visible on the pic are from underneath the base.  The item weighs 2.25lb

[ian.macky]

Assuming your Lumax piece was French, I Googled "lumax verre" and immediately found an auction for a similar piece, though with different proportions: GRAND VIDE POCHE BRIQUE DE VERRE LUMAX LE CORBUSIER n°1

The description reads: "Grand vide poche carré en brique de verre signé LUMAX design par Le Corbusier, rare grand modèle, bon état générale, peu de trace d'usage, un petit choc au dessus (ph.5). Belle pièce design à saisir pour collectionneur et amateur. Hauteur 10 cm ; cotés 14 cm. Un autre LUMAX plus petit est en vente sur le site Consultez mes autres objets!"

Claimed to be designed by Le Corbusier, this might well just be excessive salesmanship.  Prism tiles in the US are sold, 99% of the time, as designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, though they generally are not.

This same dealer has another one similar to Margi's.  They want 30 euros for the big one, which is too much for me at this time (when considing postage also).

There are also three different ones for sale on leboncoin.fr.  All three are being sold as ashtrays, though none of them have the usual grooves where coffin nails might rest.  Prices are from 7 to 20 euros.

To muddy the water even further, one of them has an ugly painted band around it with lettering AIR INTER, as if it were a desk accessory; this may just be a very similar item, which wouldn't be unusual since it's a plainish design, basically just a deep hollow square dish.

Another of them has the description "ENDRIER VIDE POCHE LUMAX LECORBUSIER PERRIAND.  Utilisé par LE CORBUSIER/PERRIAND dans leurs décorations dans les années 50. Inscription LUMAX dans le verre (épais) - Verre épais (1 cm) et transparent -14 x 14 cm sur 8 cm de haut.  Vendu en l’état – des eraflures et des éclats", so they claim it's a 1950s era desk piece.

One of these three, the one marked Lumax and shown from the side, looks very pavement-lightish to me.

The water is fairly muddy now.  Ash tray?  Deck accessory??  Or pavement light???

I would rule out cendrier since they're missing the functional grooves.  The AIR INTER one seems like a bad desk accessory.  The Lumax marked ones seem like pavement lights.  If the Lumax ones do have thick "bottoms", much thicker than needed to perform a mere desk accessory job, then I'd say pavement light.  If they have thin "bottoms" then they would be unsuitable for use as pavement lights.

--ian

[Margi]

Could I also add as I nor anyone else has mentioned that the Lumax ones have a large circle on the base, visible on my 1st close up shot it actually likes like a crack but that is part of the circle.  I thought it was wear marks but both of mine have it.

[Frank]

Can you add a pic/pics showing that circle better?

[ian.macky]

Can you add a pic/pics showing that circle better?

...and how thick is the "bottom"?  A pic straight from the side would be helpful.

The scratching etc looks very much like "shelf wear" to me, what you'd expect from something that's been on a desk for many years.  Wear from actual pavement light service would be much more severe, usually causing the entire "bottom" to look sand-blasted.

A search on ebay.fr for corbusier lumax turns up six auctions of the same type object, two of which show decoration at the bottom of the hollow, and one of which has a god-awful leather band around it, even uglier than the painted AIR INTER one, making them clearly "decorative".

The tide has turned, and they appear now to be desk thingies disguised as pavement lights or small half-wall-blocks.

--ian

[ian.macky]

What about your original item#3?  I have't seen any large pics of it yet.  There's still hope of a pavement light in this bunch.  --ian

[ian.macky]

A closer look at the AIR INTER one shows that it's not painted, but another leather band.  Truly unattractive.  These look far nicer with just plain clear glass-- less is more-- no painted sailboats or anything.  Colored glass or cloud glass might be nice too.  Of course, others will prefer the sailboats and leather bands.  There's no explaining taste.

BTW if you're wondering what I'm doing screwing around on the computer all day instead of working, the weather's finally broken and it's nasty & rainy outside-- perfect for huddling over a hot machine.

--ian

[Margi]

Circle pics as good as I can get them as requested by Frank.
Large one on its way
Weather nasty here too turned from 29 to 17 grrrr turning into an icicle 

[Margi]

Here are the pictures of the green one.  It weights 1.7kgs.  Bevelled edges.

[Margi]

brick 3