Vintage Lighting Help identifying Beattie's Hollywood Hilite.

Bryce ham

New Member
Ok so I found this fluorescent fixture at an estate sale. Couldn’t pass it up for 50$, everything is original and operational. Counter weight system, wheels, and tension knobs are all smooth. 10’ ceilings for height comparison. Any knowledge is appreciated, would also like to figure out a Valueish.

Thanks,
Bryce
 

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Most important information from the nameplate: "Otto K. Olesen". He's been discussed here before, try a search.
 
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I saw several references to Oleson Lighting in Hollywood California in a google search. 'FDL' I'm guessing Fluorescent Diffusion Light/Luminaire' and here I thought Kino Pioneered fluorescent in Cinema lighting.
 
For an update this has been the only Heritage have found. It’s a catalog from May 1946. Really digging this piece, about to contact the company and see if I can get any kind of information from them.
 

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Good luck! Let us know. Companies have been A/B in sources for research. Been there in even contacting the address of a company that used to make lights.. and got no further. Good thing your research but also you should be contacting a studio gear website in those that remember / expert with the fixture and can lead you to more info.
 
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Oleson is a blast from the past. My high school, in 1980, had Oleson lights. They could have dated back to the building's opening in 1970. At the time, I had nothing to compare them to, but they seemed like medium quality lights, possibly re-branded from Altman. Mostly fresnels a and a few ERS.
 

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