Neal Small, born in 1937 in New York City, earned renown in the 1960s and ’70s as an innovator of plastic-based furniture and lighting.

Dubbed the “Prince of Plastic,” he founded Neal Small Designs in Chelsea and introduced bold, sculptural pieces—like molded acrylic lamps, “Origami” Lucite tables, and sleek chrome-floor lamps—to major department stores including Bloomingdale’s. His play with synthetics and metals redefined mid-century aesthetics, earning coverage like the 1971 Time article “The Furniture of Chemistry.

Today, Small’s legacy endures: examples of his work are held in prestigious collections (MoMA features his Floor Lamp 2037 and Area Lamp 1112), and pieces still surface in high-end auctions and design retailers. Having later relocated to rural Maine, Small continues his artistic explorations—extending beyond plastics into sculpture and furniture—while maintaining the same inventive spirit