Treasure Trove of Super Troupers?

JD

Well-Known Member
This has to be the most bizarre thing I have run into in years. Bit of a back-story: Back in the 1980's, I sold the spotlight end of my business to my brother in-law. These were the old days of carbon arc spots. We partnered for awhile, but then there was a classic falling out and as a result, the family split apart and I had no contact with them for the last 30 years. Unknown to me, about 5 years back my brother in-law had an unfortunate tree-cutting accident that left him as a quadriplegic in a nursing home. (He was a very abusive person and my sister and him separated.) A few months ago, my sister contacted me and we have been emailing ever since. She mentioned about being afraid of spiders and not wanting to go into the "light room" to change the burned out bulb. "Light room?" I asked. "Oh yea, there's about 6 xenon Super Troupers down there and as many Ultra Arcs." (!?!?!?)

I know he is not in the business, and she has not continued with it, so I actually have more questions than answers. I have asked her to send me some pictures, and obviously I am going to recommend she sell them. Still, I am somewhat speechless. Will post more as I find out more.
 
Dislike Strong by way of design in focus, but have to work on a lot of them thru contracts. Spiders... they are crazy bad on the old Mig's Feld airport spot stands and power supplies. Literally everywhere and I believe some time in the next week I have to go there to fix a new 1295 Lycian spot Iris there. Hope the new Lycian fixtures less attract spiders than in general the entire complex.

Advice if getting in and out, take photos and inventory, used lighting gear websites and see if you can ship them out to them. Otherwise say ebay or other sources in intent to get out the door without profit - but shipping covered. Your labor in getting them out - a family type loss in helping. Get in and get out with what is available, try and hope to sell them off quick and for what you can get.

Once saw some Lycian 1290's listed on E-Bay for a decent price. This was long before we grew as a company. Corporate wise, we never thought we would want two more but now wish we had more especially at that price. That was in the day when such a price as with most buyers for your lights today might want them but it's a question of growth picture and budget verses getting something listed cheap in a good deal or ready for them. That's the hard to capture question of value verses having to pay to store them at some point. Suspect that your description says you are now responsible for them.

Perhaps get it clear in writing that you are responsible for the sale of them. Just advice in seemingly a favor done is not one that will not end up well.
 
Somewhat depressing update. I have now verified that the Supers are carbon NOT xenon, so they will be headed off to Ebay at some point as collector's items. I have a strange desire to keep one for myself, but my wife will not allow it! (I think it would look good in the living room ;) ) I still need to figure out if the Ultra Arcs (or as Derek calls them, "Ultra Dark") use newer lamps or the old MARC-350. I have also asked her to look around to see if there is a stash of the lamps around, as they are getting rare and fetching a good buck.
 
Somewhat depressing update. I have now verified that the Supers are carbon NOT xenon, so they will be headed off to Ebay at some point as collector's items. I have a strange desire to keep one for myself, but my wife will not allow it! (I think it would look good in the living room ;) ) I still need to figure out if the Ultra Arcs (or as Derek calls them, "Ultra Dark") use newer lamps or the old MARC-350. I have also asked her to look around to see if there is a stash of the lamps around, as they are getting rare and fetching a good buck.

tell her she can girl out the base of the fixture with plants and stuff. Bonus points if you make her think it's her idea.
 
The trickle of info continues. It looks like she has a supply of HTI-400 lamps, so I suspect the Ultra Arcs are the newer ones as compared to the old MARC-350 style. I never had Ultra's so I am not sure if Phoebus had kits that changed the lamp/ballast to the newer HTI if you owned one of the older MARC units.
 
I have two Marc-350 units that could use a such a kit.
When I asked Pheobus they only pointed me to their new fixtures.
 
Yes, there seems to be a huge lack of information on if there was an HTI conversion ever available for the Marc 350 units. Anything you can do, JD, to get good photos or info on the HTI version would be very helpful.
 
Still waiting for photos as she is too far away for a quick drive up there, and is 67 herself. The Ultra's are behind the Supers, which are behind a motorcycle and a freezer.
She did indicate that he had changed to the HTI lamps because the MARC 350 based spots were a nightmare and even new lamps often came defective in the box. I think this changeover was during the time of the introduction of the version II. I'm going to ask her to climb back there and get a shot of the rear nameplates, which lists the lamp. It they say HTI, then they are version II, if they say MARC, then we know SOMEONE was marketing conversion kits. If these things are headed for the dump for other reasons, then I will make a trip up there and pull the kits, (or all the rear optics) and ballasts.
 
Final basement count;
12 carbon arc Super Troupers. (If you are near Quakertown PA and want one, she's probably sell any or all dirt cheap, just wants them gone.)
6 Ultra Arcs. Those may have some small value. Who knows, but PM me if interested and I will put in contact.
 
I once acquired my high school's Kliegl Dyna Beam w. Boomerang c.1950. Back when I was single and lived in a small apartment, it lived with me as with a small lighting grid over my bed so as to store some lights I bought. The Dyna Beam had a 19" TV mounted above it. Was interesting getting it down the fire escape when I moved. It now has a primary spot in the front lobby where I work. Unfortunately where I work has limited space to display lights at this point followspots and strip lights have to be out of the question in collecting... though I would love one and easily get it transported.

Perhaps start e-Bay see how the first light sells and list another more or at the same in starting value. Were I a larger home or ability to do it for a museum and budget, I would want one. Perhaps someone with a large house or theater even local with lobby space for lobby art has room for such a thing. This if local donating which is valuable for tax reasons. My old theater had two 8" Century cannons plus a Audri II as lobby sculpture - simple enough for that concept. That plus the Dyna Beam in another corner.

Unfortunately scrap value of the light unless E-Bay like $10.00 and you go up from there at best - assuming some form of shipping would be best. Have your contacted ETC yet, contacted Strong yet? My thoughts. Unfortunate in being just too big to save even one.
 
Last edited:
We have one of those (or something very similar) it just sits in the corner of a closet and collects dust though.
Bring it out to the front lobby and let people play with it (supervision in not breaking it). It's a curiousity piece and lobby sculpture.

Perhaps put a donate to theater can on the stand.
 
I know I have more than a thousand hours running Super Troupers. Great spot when tuned in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Van
I know I have more than a thousand hours running Super Troupers. Great spot when tuned in.
Me Too! I Love/Hate the things.
 
An old, used, beat up Xenon Trouper with power supply is only worth $1-2k, but if the housings are basically new, they could be worth a decent amount to put the Xenon guts of a rusted out into a new shell.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back