Vintage Lighting I bought this light for my kid, what can you tell me about it? Times Square Stage Lighting Company

[KoreRat]

I found this light at a local antique shop and picked it up as an x-mas gift for my son. He's the lights manager for his high school and aspires to run lights for a living. So I think he'll like it, but I'd love to be able to tell exactly WHAT it is.

I don't see any markings other that the "Times Square Lighting" stamp/sticker. I'd really like to know it's model, approximate age, and maybe what it's typically used for.

Thanks.

 

[NJLX]

Looks like an Inky to me (3" Fresnel). I've mounted plenty of them on sets and stages, either because it's visible on stage and the designer likes the aesthetic, or because we needed something small and relatively bright, with a soft-edged beam of light.

No idea how old it would be, but there are plenty of these still in use in small theatres today.

 

[derekleffew]

While the design of the fixture goes back to the 1920s, yours could be as young as ten years old.

Yep. From a catalog dated 2012:

Still listed as a current product at https://tsstage.com/collections/fresnels for "from $259.00" !

Times Square Stage Lighitng as a company goes back to the 1950s I believe. They primarily made knock-offs of more professional fixtures similar to Altman Lighting and others, and geared toward display applications.

At a time not that long ago, one or two of these units could be found over every designer's drafting table. Now that designers no longer have drafting tables... Also still used to light anything in a display window. Now that all brick & mortar stores are defunct... you see where I'm going here?

It's small enough to make a good conversation piece sitting on a shelf. Plus, being the smallest (3inch diameter lens), 6", 8",10",12", 16", 20", 24" of a family, there's the cuteness factor. I'm sure he'll love it, and I hope you didn't pay much for it.

 

[microstar]

Before you give it to your son, I think I would replace the AC plug as it shows quite a bit of damage from arcing, and the plastic grommet that prevents chafing of the line cord as it exits the rear of the fixture is missing.

 

[techieman33]

Before you give it to your son, I think I would replace the AC plug as it shows quite a bit of damage from arcing, and the plastic grommet that prevents chafing of the line cord as it exits the rear of the fixture is missing.

The grommet is there, but yes it should still be replaced.

 

[KoreRat]

It's small enough to make a good conversation piece sitting on a shelf. Plus, being the smallest (3inch diameter lens), 6", 8",10",12", 16", 20", 24" of a family, there's the cuteness factor. I'm sure he'll love it, and I hope you didn't pay much for it.

Thanks for all the info, as you can probably tell I don't know anything about this stuff. I paid $75, which I guess is good.

Before you give it to your son, I think I would replace the AC plug as it shows quite a bit of damage from arcing, and the plastic grommet that prevents chafing of the line cord as it exits the rear of the fixture is missing.

I was thinking of replacing that plug, my next step is figuring out how.

 

[RickR]

Any hardware store will sell replacement plugs. A helpful employee can show you all about it, good ones even have instructions!

 

[Les]

Thanks for all the info, as you can probably tell I don't know anything about this stuff. I paid $75, which I guess is good.


I was thinking of replacing that plug, my next step is figuring out how.

$75 is not bad in my opinion. Yours has a set of barndoors which is an accessory you'd normally have to pay extra for - and you didn't have to pay for shipping.

 

[KoreRat]

One* more question.

Would this type of light use gels?

Would the gels need frames?

Where could I find a set?

 

[Les]

Yes and yes. It kinda looks like there is already a gel frame installed, but that could be the mounting plate for the barndoors I'm seeing.

Here it is straight from Times Square (now apparently going by TS Stage Lighting) for $6.00 (click on "accessories").

Stage Lighting Store also has it for $4.99 but apparently TS will price match. I'd choose the one with the lowest total including shipping.

 

[derekleffew]

There's something peculiar about the way the door(s) fits into the color frame holder clips. I saw it on another site and now can't find it.

But now that it's bothering me...HOW can TSSI think a 3"Fresnel Inky should be $259! The Altman 100 was current until at least 2007, and is still offered at some sites for $130. https://www.techlandhouston.com/shop/fresnel/altman-lighting-100-fresnel-x22inkiex22-9799/

Oh, fun story: When @ship 's "Head Tour Electricians" would ask for "ETC lamps," @ship would send them these, exactly what they asked for.

 

[ship]

I found this light at a local antique shop and picked it up as an x-mas gift for my son. He's the lights manager for his high school and aspires to run lights for a living. So I think he'll like it, but I'd love to be able to tell exactly WHAT it is.

I don't see any markings other that the "Times Square Lighting" stamp/sticker. I'd really like to know it's model, approximate age, and maybe what it's typically used for.

View attachment 25032View attachment 25033View attachment 25036View attachment 25035View attachment 25034

Thanks.

I think he will like it also. Good find and something curious enough to be both desk light and useful on stage where needed. I only wish my own family had such a taking a chance. Again well done. Never seen one before and would be curious on it's optics.

I found this light at a local antique shop and picked it up as an x-mas gift for my son. He's the lights manager for his high school and aspires to run lights for a living. So I think he'll like it, but I'd love to be able to tell exactly WHAT it is.

I don't see any markings other that the "Times Square Lighting" stamp/sticker. I'd really like to know it's model, approximate age, and maybe what it's typically used for.

View attachment 25032View attachment 25033View attachment 25036View attachment 25035View attachment 25034

Thanks.

 

[ship]

Checked my Manufacture notes, and antique fixture notes. I have no history of this company, but do own one of these Fresnels... ah' I remember it now and also a PAR 64 from the brand in collection. My Inkie version is a BA-15s version = single pole and the shell of the lamp is the neutral. This is the pre-halogen 1962 concept of such a lamp.

Given mine was a BA-15s (incandescent) and your's is a BA-15d (halogen), not a huge problem... but is also, the lamp socket could have been upgraded - these lamp sockets do fail. Your fixture could have been safely rewired for the better and more efficient / modern lamp socket like the Altman Inkie was later done on. My notes say c.1962-1972 for the fixture age of at least my incandescent version... Could be that old, or after 1972 your version is origional lamp socket is BA-15D.

BA15s = SC Bay, Single-Contact Bayonet Candelabra 5/8" (0.59") Dia. (LCL at top of Alignment Pins) Base Length 0.775". DIN #49720, IEC #7004-11A,
ANSI #C81.61-1990sheet 1-20-1
BA15d = DC Bay, Double-Contact Bayonet Candelabra 5/8" (15.25mm) Dia. (0.59") Base Length 0.775" (LCL at top of Alignment Pins) DIN #49720, IEC #7004-11A,
ANSI #C81.61-1990sheet 1-20-1, Leviton Base #910-01, 910-200, 910-201 & 910-209

Basically the Ba-15s is single contact at the center of a glass insulator and the shell is an insulator to the outer wall of the bayonet locking mech. for a neutral. The BA-15d is using two solder contacts with glass or other insulators and the bayonet shell is not in use other than mechanically locking the lamp to a focus.

One to another fixture/lamp in upgraded they work the same unless you mis-match lamps into very similar sockets. Q of the day what happens if you put reverse lamps into either socket.

 

[ship]

Any hardware store will sell replacement plugs. A helpful employee can show you all about it, good ones even have instructions!

No as a Dad! Point out what you found, examine the lamp socket (as not mentioned) is it blackened from arching? Don't trust someone else's Edison plugs proper install'. Believe grommet was mentioned. Examine the fixture together in togetherness... don't fix it... don't even dad advice it before your proud of gift son takes the lead... Encourage him in what he looks at in looking into other things! That would be the joy of giving such a present.

Puzzle it out for what's going on with it, and if wanted help, but otherwise it's his present in what a great gift!

 

[gafftapegreenia]

I've always been fascinated by those Times Square fresnels. The casting design is incredibly vintage, old-old skool, like something from the 1910's-20's. Ive always wondered, are they/were they using old patterns, or did they design it after a vintage fixture?

 

[ship]

I'm fairly certain that while the design is somewhat similar to a 4.5" Century Fresnel, it an origional design. No idea of why it is so long other than perhaps for the heat it might be less wide in body. Or for the concept of a more spotlightting.

I'm somewhat confused above about the lamp in use. Does the lamp socket - inside on the porcelain disc have one or two contact plates? Just to be clear.

On the DIY home center plug... be careful to read the instructions on said plug and completely comply with said instructions. Strip length of conductors is very important. And note that only commercial grade plugs are to be used. Have fun with the project, and yes gel frames should be available.

 

[techieman33]

There's something peculiar about the way the door(s) fits into the color frame holder clips. I saw it on another site and now can't find it.

But now that it's bothering me...HOW can TSSI think a 3"Fresnel Inky should be $259! The Altman 100 was current until at least 2007, and is still offered at some sites for $130. https://www.techlandhouston.com/shop/fresnel/altman-lighting-100-fresnel-x22inkiex22-9799/

Oh, fun story: When @ship 's "Head Tour Electricians" would ask for "ETC lamps," @ship would send them these, exactly what they asked for.

It wouldn't surprise me if the main market for fixtures like this these days are decorators that want that vintage look without having to deal with all the problems that come with buying an actual vintage fixture. And I imagine a lot of them will happily spend their clients money on the new fixture to avoid those problems. It's also probably pretty costly to make what I have to assume are pretty occasional small batches of them.

 

[TheaterEd]

No as a Dad! Point out what you found, examine the lamp socket (as not mentioned) is it blackened from arching? Don't trust someone else's Edison plugs proper install'. Believe grommet was mentioned. Examine the fixture together in togetherness... don't fix it... don't even dad advice it before your proud of gift son takes the lead... Encourage him in what he looks at in looking into other things! That would be the joy of giving such a present.

Puzzle it out for what's going on with it, and if wanted help, but otherwise it's his present in what a great gift!

Love this Point! Go get the part, but make replacing the plug a bonding experience. Most high school tech's will never get the opportunity until they are in the field, so the experience of replacing a plug will help him and make him even more proud of the fixture. Definitely share this thread afterward as well so he can nerd out with us!

This is a super cool present and I would Love to get something like this and I can assure you that any of my Lighting students would think this is Awesome!