Vintage Lighting Capitol stage lighting spotlight 1158

Michael1

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I have a Capital spotlight #1158. It has a 2000 watt light bulb with a stand and rollers, power cord and color wheel. Everything works. Not sure what year it is. I was wondering what it would be worth. I recieved this spotlight from my uncle. He was a musician and was in a dance band. I would like to know if this correlates with the time era, and any additional information about it.

Im still getting used to this forum. I have added 2 new pictures. Any added comments or material would be appreciated. Thanks for the responses.
 

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... I was wondering what it would be worth. ...
Probably not as much as you'd like.:( Post a picture, and perhaps someone can offer more details and better assessment.

Is it similar to this one: Vintage, Late 1940's Theatre Stage Light On Convenient Wheeled Stand | eBay ?
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Regardless of condition, it has virtually no value as a stage lighting instrument. So your market is limited to the very few who collect vintage fixtures. (IMHO, the eBay listing above will never sell at its stated price.)
 
Spotlights like strip lights are also harder to sell for a good price because of their size. While both are mostly obsolete when older model (if at all for a srip), at least the Spotlight has the say "lobby sculpture" marketing for it over a strip light. My #1178 Kiliegl Dyna Beam with full boomerang, origional gel, working and tested origional lamp, and spent almost a week in bringing it back to factory spec. and re-wiring, is worth probably around $1K or perhaps more to the right buyer. And that's only to someone that's looking for a spotlight that is in perfect condition from someone that can warrentee the work.

Color wheel makes it a less valuable fixture in being the economy version as opposed to the one listed on E-Bay that probably also won't sell for that price. (Around Christmas is a better time to list but perhaps on this listed follow spot, it might still sell at a not too bad price to the proper buyer at the proper time.) Decent price but even if historically Capitol is more rare and important, won't sell as easily. Mine will never get sold, like 20 years now, it's traveled from lobby in theater to lobby at commercial building I have worked. (Even stored it in the bedroom of a very small apartment I had at one point - mounted my TV atop it in nowhere else to store it.) Last theater it was at, I had a pair of Century #1560 8x10 Leko's on Major brand floor bases to cross cannon make that a three part display in a corner which for a lobby in the theater which was kind of cool. Another display in this lobby was my Audrie II prop/scenery from "Little Shop of Horrors". Took up about a 36" square and six foot tall area in the lobby. No more valuable oveall than the prop plant in end use or value, and the plant probably had more visitors.

Most resale on old or rare stage lighting is for the as it were' the "smalls". Collectors and home owners looking to re-capture their days on the high school stage at times compete against each other - amongst a few other types of collector at times. But mostly for the market, it's something that will fit atop a book shelf or within limited display room. Something that takes up floor space as opposed to being hung is a limitation other than for a center for prop display, limits out most of the normal buyers for old stage lights I think. That also, often is something that's listed for a way less value in price.

One concept and would be a sin, would be to seperate the color wheel from the follow spot. The follow spot sold individually might be worth about as much as it with or without a color wheel. Could be wrong in it having a color wheel is a kind of rare thing still. Color wheel is also rare - though accessories often don't sell for much if at all. Could sell for some though. Not thinking this a good idea either historically or that you would make in the end a lot more money from it. I would keep the historic fixture together and prepair your notes on this light's history. Where did it come from, when was it bought is at least 1/3 the value of this light. As per the above follow spot, I have the history of this fixture and it opens up another market should I sell it, this in selling it back locally. Overall though, a fixture with where it came from is by far more valuable than one with a "I don't know" when asked the question.

Instead I might start dry calling local theaters (which don't have any money but might be able to give some for it,) or production houses in the area to see if they have any interest. Than E-Mail down the line from ETC to Altman to any number of theatrical national supply houses, to see if they want such a spotlight. A good home but don't wait too long on finding a better offer.

Otherwise and perhaps before this, list this on E-Bay for perhaps a lot less than the one linked to with the boomerang that's more valuable. Than try for other sources.

Sorry, won't list a price above say $150.00 to start from given all the problems - this without even photos that might show one thats' had a hard life and not be worth even that.

Follow Spots are a hard market to sell. One often thinks bigger is better, but often not other than to limited markets and that only when interested in floor space. Most stage lighting collectors would not even start to consider such a thing even if free in assuming shipping charges, and also floor space. Lobby space for somewhere local is your best bet - that when presented the history of the light. Even an ice cream parler might be interested in it if local to where this was used - locally. AT least for some amount of money. Sorry, somewhat hard to sell but not as hard to sell as 20' long strip lights.
 
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I have posted new pictures today. It looks like they uploaded correctly. thanks for all your information.I hope these pictures will lead to more information.
 
Cool piece. Be aware that the fuzzy white wires are asbestos. As long as it is sold with the disclaimer, a collector would be aware. Asbestos is not illegal in the states, but because of the cancer risk you want to avoid flexing those wires much. If the light was to be used, then you would want to re-mediate that and replace the wiring with something modern. Most collectors are at the opposite end of the equation and would not want you altering anything.

The Stage Pin to Stage Plug to Edison cable set is a hoot! Guess they wanted all bases covered!
 
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Open faced Edison or L2-15 Nema plug at the end of the cable is also against code. Nice fixture, still stand by the concepts above - especially the historic value part. My Uncle was born in about 1948 I believe, but passed a few years ago. If your Uncle is around, might be good to ask more about it, if not to research the band in fleshing out this further.

Seems as if refinished on the outside at least, or really really clean. Good news on age though - just checked my 1937 catalogue, and it's a #19CS in it. (There is a link to that catalogue on the Wikee. Page 13. Color wheels are listed on page 30 for that spotlight - you probably have a #75 color wheel. On the other hand, you have a #1158 as a model number. If the case, it should date later in years until say 1957ish.

All that said, this is an old design and could date earlier than 1937 if the 19CS appears on it for say part number instead of searial number perhaps at an off chance. Design of this fixture is for a carbon arc spotlight - back than you needed a large access door so as to replace the carbon arc rods. When it went incandescent, was normally only a change of how it's mounted and often a few holes in the casting plugged up.

In other words, could be at least 1937 or if #1158 younger, and possible back to 1911 thru at least 1914 or 1916 dependant on if there is a lamp specification plate on it for what wattage lamp it was designed to take. Lamp was probably replaced over the years so while an indication and old lamp, posibly not an indication of design wattage. If there is a name plate on it, it will tell more than anything else the year. Should it have one, and it says 1Kw lamp, should be c.1911 though could be later given different models. if 1.5Kw, should be in that range, and by 1916, I think the 2Kw lamp was on the market as fair to say by way of 1916 catalogue showing it's existance. Given the 1937 catalogue, if a #1158 model, it has to date post 1937 until they went out of business.

Your family history with the fixture says to me at least something to hang onto as per legacy. And yes - specifically, asbestos is bad stuff, I would have it replaced professioally were I to keep it. While doing so, any company doing so shoule also make it work again as per origional intent but also to modern standards. Once restored and replaced, you have one and no longer about what it's worth in keeping I hope.
 
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hi all, i am restoring a Capital spotlight #1158 and i am wondering if the proper lamp is still made and where i can get one

thanks
ben
 
hi all, i am restoring a Capital spotlight #1158 and i am wondering if the proper lamp is still made and where i can get one

thanks
ben
@ Ben @BenR Questions: Are you hoping to restore this for use or as an antique? You may have an easier time sourcing a tubular, rather than globular, lamp with the same mogul base and LCL, Lamp Center Length. You may also have an easier time finding a 1Kw or 1500 Watt rather than the 2Kw. ANSI 'DSE' and 'DSF' are coming to mind.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
 
My main laptop is dead by way of monitor for accessing notes or files, but safe to assume the globe lamp is no longer available since the early 70's at best.

Mogul screw base, Mogul Pre-focdus, and Mogul Bi-pin lamp bases are three separate lamp sockets (eg. E-39, P-40s, G-38) in technical terms of specific description of screw base, pre-focus base or bi-pin base. It would help to define the O.D. of the lamp and which of the three mogul bases in common description it is.

Don's Bulbs on internet probably has some of the replacement lamps direct for the fixture you need if you want to pay the price, and accept that a really old lamp filament probably won't survive transport. I once bought a really old lamp off the internet, but its filament didn't survive transport. AT least ensure you can get your money back if you do such a expensive replacement lamp route. Other wise, If Old bulb collectors' or Old lamp collectors (my old computer is down with actual website) Antique lamp collectors forum - perhaps, exists still, there could be sources for lamps or to re-filament your bad lamp there. Believe the last and people on that website really can re-filament your old bad lamps. Totally cool!

Sorry but short of main computer #1158 info is absent to me and might be for a while until I have notes. Is this fixture to present data sheets from the cb Wiki?

So if the original lamp - even if bad still exists, there is lamp center length concepts which will apply with the original lamp dependent on base type in use. (website above could also be valuable to the above collectors website even if bad lamp.) Even if your lamp is dead, you can measure the LCL from the approximate filament center to either and in order to the bottom of the screw base, the fins of the pre-focus base or the bottom pins or bottom porcelain of the bi-pin base - dependent on memory of which.

Once you have that "LCL" lamp center length you can shop for a modern replacement if it's filament length is at the same height for the same base. DSE/DCF wont' work but possibly the CYX and a few other like from memory the BWF to look into.

Otherwise if assuming not changing to a different base which requires more work and math, you find a lamp with the same base type but shorter in LCL. Given that dimension, you than jack the lamp socket up higher in plates of steel or aluminum under it to match the new "seat height." Took some tweaking butI have a 3Kw incandescent Kliegl Dyna Beam follow spot that is lamped for a 2Kw CYX lamp, amongst other fixtures this has been done to.

Do I need to mention at this point about re-wiring or lamp socket replacement/re-surfacing. Total re-do normally required in not just a re-lamp option.
 
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