I suggested earlier this year that combo loudspeaker/lights would be a big thing in 2010 and beyond.

So far we’ve seen wireless screw-in bulb replacements from Klipsch and Artison, and floor lamp/speakers from Soundolier. We’ve also seen a number of wireless light/speaker combos bordering on the cheesy.

But there are also a few fancier light/speaker products out there, including beautiful metallic products (pendants, sconces and outdoor) from DeTomo and Italian glass beauties from Sonance/NACSound that may never ship.

But the fanciest light speakers we’ve ever seen come from startup TON Art (that’s TON as in “tone”).

Given its tagline – Art, Sound and Light—you can guess where the company’s top priority lies. TON creates works of art that happen to have built-in speakers and halogen lights.

“Each sculpture is literally being hand-crafted by an artist,” according to the Web site. That’s why you should expect 12 weeks for delivery by either a professional art mover or audio specialist.

Most of the pieces feature 23-karat gold leaf from Germany that is “painstakingly applied by hand (and at times then lacquered ). It is a very laborious process!”

The current TON collection includes:

• Columns that stand nearly 8 feet tall and weigh 160 pounds ($13,250 - $16,500 each)
• Pods shaped like bullets, lava and some kind of growth that TON calls a “tree” but looks more like a stalagmite ($14,200 - $16,500 each)
• Two-foot-tall eggs sculpted in copper, twigs or gold ($13,250 each)
• A floating Buddha, Mayan wheel, cornucopia and steel sculpture that resembles and coat rack ($13,250 - $43,000)

In addition, TON may be able to craft the customer’s own design if you ask nicely.

About the Sound

TON apparently does not skimp on the audio side of its art.

“We use top-of-the-line speakers from a leading European manufacturer,” the company claims. Most are ‘dual centric’ meaning that a high-frequency tweeter is built right into the center of the cone of the mid-range speaker, resulting in a very clear, clean sound. In larger rooms we recommend a separate subwoofer.”

The speakers are not wireless and not suitable for outdoor use.

At CEDIA Expo, TON Art is exhibiting at booth 4840

Click here for more photos.

Julie Jacobson - Editor, Electronic House; Editor-at-large, CE Pro

Julie Jacobson is editor of Electronic House and editor-at-large for CE Pro magazine, the trade magazine for home technology. She co-founded parent company EH Publishing in 1994.