Vintage Lighting Antique Ellipsoidal Fixture Help

[LX_]

Hey Everybody,

Is anyone able to identify the fixture and model of this stippled lens ellipsoidal photographed here, and perhaps general dates of manufacturing? It has asbestos wiring and is legitimately massive. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[derekleffew]

... this stippled lens ellipsoidal ...

Step Lens (or stepped lens), not stippled.

Pretty certain it's an Altman 3400 8x9. Dates approx. 1969-1979. See attached pdf.

Love the safety chain in your picture.

FYI, you walked under several of them if you ever visited King's Island's International Showplace (outdoor amphitheatre near the Eiffel Tower) in the 70s-80s. Six or eight of them hung over each entrance aisle.

 

[LX_]

Step Lens (or stepped lens), not stippled.

Pretty certain it's an Altman 3400 8x9. Dates approx. 1969-1979. See attached pdf.

Love the safety chain in your picture.

FYI, you walked under several of them if you ever visited King's Island's International Showplace (outdoor amphitheatre near the Eiffel Tower) in the 70s-80s. Six or eight of them hung over each entrance aisle.

Thanks so much! looks pretty accurate. haha I have no affiliation with the hang or maintenance of this light, I just stumbled upon it.

Thanks again!

 

[derekleffew]

FYI, you walked under several of them if you ever visited King's Island's International Showplace (outdoor amphitheatre near the Eiffel Tower) in the 70s-80s. Six or eight of them hung over each entrance aisle.

I lied/mis-rememered. King's Island was a total Century / Strand-Century installation. International Showplace opened in 1977 and the lights in question were Century 1223:

.

American Heritage Music Hall, today King's Island Theater, opened in 1976 and had a Strand-Century MMS Modular Memory System until it was replaced by a Light Palette in, I think, 1983.
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I bet you thought your instrument was older than it is, didn't you? The axial mounted lamp reveals its age. Had it been a radial ERS, it would have had a larger date range.

 

[microstar]

Hey Everybody,

Is anyone able to identify the fixture and model of this stippled lens ellipsoidal photographed here, and perhaps general dates of manufacturing? It has asbestos wiring and is legitimately massive. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

ANTIQUE fixture you say? Watch who you're calling OLD buddy!
I'd say it's just getting broken in.

 

[SteveB]

Derek,

Some oddities here. The plastic triangular focus knob as well as a potentially brown body (hard to tell thru the dust), plus the rear lamp cap all look Altman, but the unit has a rounded Century like T handle, not diamond shaped like an Altman.

I'm just not sure when Altman moved to the diamond handle.

 

[Les]

@LX_ , is this in an arena being demolished? Just curious since I see a lot of dirt on the ground. I've always wondered what happens to the old gear (stage/stadium lights, sound equipment) when places like this are torn down.

 

[LX_]

@Les Yes it is in fact. They've gutted out all the equipment I guess that was worthy for them to keep. These were left there while all the concrete was being torn out so.... yea

 

[LX_]

Just curious though, how much do you think a Unit like that would sell for on Ebay or such?

 

[SteveB]

Note that the wiring almost certainly contains asbestos.

Not sure I'd want to deal with that as a seller.

 

[Les]

Just curious though, how much do you think a Unit like that would sell for on Ebay or such?

Probably not a whole lot, even though it is a neat fixture. I've seen them go for $20-50. There are sellers who ask more for them, but they're usually non-technical people who think the vintage stuff is worth more than it is. Steve brings up a valid point about asbestos. Many sellers do not know or pay attention to it, but if you handle/sell that fixture it'd be best to clip off that cord and dispose of it properly. Actually, I'd just remove the cord where it hangs and let it go with the building.

Worth salvaging? Maybe, and probably only to someone who wants it as a novelty piece and not as a functional theatrical fixture. I'd take it if I were nearby. The most valuable component is the lens - some people collect things like that.

Now the stadium lights would probably be worth a little more. I see them sell for $100-150 each. There is a seller on eBay (dirtcheaplights) who seems to sell old metal halide fixtures and probably does alright with it. Worse case is that they can be scrapped for the pure aluminum reflectors and tiny bit of copper. Are those being salvaged or are they being torn down with the building?

 

[JD]

Probably sell for $25 to $50. You must warn that the product does contain asbestos. Not sure about Ebay's policies (if any) regarding asbestos. Although not illegal, it is recognized as carcinogenic. If old and frayed, handling the lights involves risk. (I shutter when I think of how many of these units us "old-timers" handled.) Of course, this assumes the reflectors, lenses, and bases are all good. It's like this, do you feel like running across a highway full of traffic?

 

[derekleffew]

Just curious though, how much do you think a Unit like that would sell for on Ebay or such?

Quite likely less than the shipping charge. Search your favorite auction site for 8" Leko or 8" Ellipsoidal.

 

[ship]

I don't have one of those in the museum and do abate but request the whip at least get clipped when possible. What was it more locked down to be in a historical sense Derek much better than me at the moment in research? (Terrible threes in child and work stuff.)

 

[LX_]

I highly appreciate ALL the pointers and advice about this lighting fixture. It was more for interest and intrigue rather than looking to sell. Unfortunately I have absolutely no ownership over it, and stumbled upon it at the demolition of an arena being repurposed in which these were left up there. Considering that they've gutted out all the other equipment that I guess was worth saving, these will probably come down with the catwalks and discharge work lights, but who am I to say!

Thanks every one again!

 

[ship]

At times a shame but just think of all the lights that were scrapped during the War efforts of WWI and WWII during those great scrap for war materials efforts. At least you preserved some photos of what than will be coming down. A shame but is what it is. Cannot believe how many perfectly good lights work recently scrapped.

 

[music_hic]

We have about 24 of those Altmans that we just stopped using about 6 years ago, they are very heavy! Used to have to man handle those things up on to poles once a year for a show. Switched to source 4s now seems like we can put 3 of those in your back pocket easier than hanging the old Altmans!!!