Vintage Lighting Hello. I am looking for information on some stage lights any information would be greatly apprecia

Dschutt

Member
I have some capital and Kliegl Bros stage lights and was wondering if any one knew anything about them has I have not found any similar pictures on the internet
 

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@Dschutt Almost looks like a modernized version of a 1920 / 1930's "Olivette". @ship, can you comment on this??
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
Very possibly could have been modernized. I know the auditorium that it was used in was built around the 1930s And they still use some lights like this one
It came from a Scotish rite temple auditorium. Hand painted backdrops and Still has the original 1930 ish control pannel for operating the lighting
 
Olivette post 1928 invention of the Alzark process for a reflector inside the shape. I have never seen one before so I think somewhat rare. Your theater date is their date at this point. Though last generation before such a reflector became a scoop, there is a lot of wiggle room in when the Olivette without reflector went out of style and when the actial scoop went into production. A possibility the Alzark proscess inner reflector to the Olivette did not become the scoop. Easy to say one lead to another, but no refreence or equipment I have yet seen yet to confirm. Slight differences in scoop to Alzark Olivette in concept.

Curious piece - only seen them in catalogue or book presenstation. A check of the website into Capitol or Kliegl scoops no doubt would say when came first for brand, but my memory says Capitol came first in this Alzark reflector insert.
 
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Olivette post 1928 invention of the Alzark process for a reflector inside the shape. I have never seen one before so I think somewhat rare. Your theater date is their date at this point. Though last generation before such a reflector became a scoop, there is a lot of wiggle room in when the Olivette without reflector went out of style and when the actial scoop went into production. A possibility the Alzark proscess inner reflector to the Olivette did not become the scoop. Easy to say one lead to another, but no refreence or equipment I have yet seen yet to confirm. Slight differences in scoop to Alzark Olivette in concept.

Curious piece - only seen them in catalogue or book presenstation. A check of the website into Capitol or Kliegl scoops no doubt would say when came first for brand, but my memory says Capitol came first in this Alzark reflector insert.
Thanks for the reply
Well, I used Olivettes in high school - with the original style stage plug (who needs UL safety!) In the stage pocket. Typical backing a door or windows flat of your basic box set. Olivetts seemed always to be on a floor stand and scoops always seemed to be on a batten. Olivetts were heavy, compared to scoops.[/QU
Olivette post 1928 invention of the Alzark process for a reflector inside the shape. I have never seen one before so I think somewhat rare. Your theater date is their date at this point. Though last generation before such a reflector became a scoop, there is a lot of wiggle room in when the Olivette without reflector went out of style and when the actial scoop went into production. A possibility the Alzark proscess inner reflector to the Olivette did not become the scoop. Easy to say one lead to another, but no refreence or equipment I have yet seen yet to confirm. Slight differences in scoop to Alzark Olivette in concept.

Curious piece - only seen them in catalogue or book presenstation. A check of the website into Capitol or Kliegl scoops no doubt would say when came first for brand, but my memory says Capitol came first in this Alzark reflector insert.


Thanks for the info. There was a link to a kliegl web page in one of the earlyer posts. I have the No. 1N and the the No 2N. Styles I also have a few misc parts and pieces that were in a big wash tub
 

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The first stage light is complete and has far has I know in working order
The later was found in a washtub of misc parts Such has vintage stage plugs and most notable were some parts to a carbon arc light.
I wonder if the later reflector was part of the carbon arc light?
All of these items have came from an auditorium that was built in the 1930s but I’m pretty sure that there was another stage that pre dated the current one and was probably in another building about a block away dating into the late 1800s
 
@ship - you need one for your museum! Work a trade! :)
 
Initial one, yes I don't have in all other my examples before Alzarc process reflector I think this is. Second example of a reflector, it's curious. I'm thinking it as per a family quilt in someone spot welded it together out of a lot of pieces in making something for beter reflection given tiles. Not totally sure what it was for, but some parent did something really cool for a child at school in invention. Initial thoughts. Bringing up the carbon arc says a lot I didn't think of in the ovals. This reflector is a very curious piece as with what parts to the carbon arc were said to be found... and in general your non-stock/modern inventory. WWII sent a lot of stage ligting to the scrap and at times parts remain. You have a very interesting reflector and possibly first generation Alzark reflector version of the Olivalite I have never seen before other than in books. Vey cool c.1928 and at least I have never seen an example other than in books!

Are the two items related, in one reflector working with another... I don't think so while similar. Parts in the tub would be interesting to see.

Overall school theater history is an interesting look at as with school Thespian history if it exists. These might give more info and be a great term paper.
 
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Were you local I would say bring everything you have to the shop (or better garage where I do most my work.) That's the lest complex carbon arc rod adjustment system I have seen so far. Can you re-post with where the broken part was installed? Say a screwdriver so as to indicate where that rod/handle were? As said in past posts by others, the shorter carbon arc rod is an indication of DC voltage power used with it, but not definate for that. The 1/2" rods say older in some ways but not defining. Is that top rod triangular? That would be new in curious outside of the norm. I see someone has polished up the brightwork, see where the power conductors attach to in theory - don't see a lot of insulator between conductors and frame.


Given the size of this carbon arc assembly and the spacing of the above spot welded reflector, I assume these parts are not for the same fixture. Or if for the same fixture, none were designed for that purpose. More parts to find Totally fascinated!!!


Interesting this angle the carbon arc is set at - note the like 30 degree to it from the base. This certainly by way of distance between holes in the reflector, and angle of the assembly says the two parts are not for each other.

The reflector seen is designed for a long halogen lamp, or rods set parallel to what ever base it had. Pre-cleaning this reflector if that's what was done does not help in determining if it was carbon arc or halogen - seeing a ozone pattern on the reflector. In this case if the reflector was cleaned before determining it's fixture etc. in making it all work as a system might have hurt it's value a lot especially in the history fact finding about it. The above base is not adjustable - one of the things lacking as with diagional (cross cant) adjustment.

You have me stumped and curious with both sets of photos. Parts that seemingly don't belong together and how you have them and what they are to and age. At least for me, neither photos I can attribute to gear I have seen or a date.
 
Were you local I would say bring everything you have to the shop (or better garage where I do most my work.) That's the lest complex carbon arc rod adjustment system I have seen so far. Can you re-post with where the broken part was installed? Say a screwdriver so as to indicate where that rod/handle were? As said in past posts by others, the shorter carbon arc rod is an indication of DC voltage power used with it, but not definate for that. The 1/2" rods say older in some ways but not defining. Is that top rod triangular? That would be new in curious outside of the norm. I see someone has polished up the brightwork, see where the power conductors attach to in theory - don't see a lot of insulator between conductors and frame.


Given the size of this carbon arc assembly and the spacing of the above spot welded reflector, I assume these parts are not for the same fixture. Or if for the same fixture, none were designed for that purpose. More parts to find Totally fascinated!!!


Interesting this angle the carbon arc is set at - note the like 30 degree to it from the base. This certainly by way of distance between holes in the reflector, and angle of the assembly says the two parts are not for each other.

The reflector seen is designed for a long halogen lamp, or rods set parallel to what ever base it had. Pre-cleaning this reflector if that's what was done does not help in determining if it was carbon arc or halogen - seeing a ozone pattern on the reflector. In this case if the reflector was cleaned before determining it's fixture etc. in making it all work as a system might have hurt it's value a lot especially in the history fact finding about it. The above base is not adjustable - one of the things lacking as with diagional (cross cant) adjustment.

You have me stumped and curious with both sets of photos. Parts that seemingly don't belong together and how you have them and what they are to and age. At least for me, neither photos I can attribute to gear I have seen or a date.

These last pics. The carbon arc and reflector were found in a #3 washtub just filled with random parts. I have not cleaned any thing. Every thing is just has I found them. I will post more pics of carbon arc
 

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