Bell Side Table

The Bell Table by Sebastian Herkner turns our perceptual habits on their head, using the lightweight, fragile material of glass as a base for a metal top that seems to float above it. Hand-blown in the traditional manner using a wooden mould, the transparent tinted glass base asserts a sculptural presence in space, intriguingly contrasting with the solid brass frame on top while also forming a harmonious unit with it, recalling the elegant curved silhouette of a bell.

With its appealing reflective surfaces and contrasting materials, the side table adds a distinctive touch to living environments. It celebrates the beauty of the materials with their colors and surfaces, along with the workmanship. The Bell Table is a masterwork of traditional craftsmanship. Each table is handmade and has characteristic features such as irregularities in glass thickness, small bubbles or bumps in the glass. In 2024, premium craftsmanship has been taken to a new level and the Bell Side Tables and Bell Coffee Tables are complemented by a version with straw marquetry worked into the tabletop. Using precision craftsmanship, the individual straw strips are applied to a base panel, spreading outwards from the centre across the surface like rays of sunlight.

Sebastian Herkner was born in Bad Mergentheim. He studied product design at HfG Offenbach am Main where he founded his own studio for objects, interior design and exhibition design in 2006. During his studies, he already focused on designing objects and furniture merging various cultural contexts. He gets his inspiration from original materials and techniques. Through the use of contemporary technologies and refinement methods, he reinterprets simple mechanical principles and processing technologies.

With his Bell Table design from 2012, which is part of the ClassiCon collection, he succeeded in taking his first big step towards international recognition. Today, Herkner is one of the most important designers of his generation. He works for international companies, designs furniture and lamps, porcelain and glass, and also curates and stages exhibitions dealing with design.