Just checked Wickipeda for the first time ever. Nope, no answer as to when the hex nut was invented. At least as far as I could find on it.
My theory, it’s a WWII development or slightly before. Very important such fasteners in dating fixtures as with the round head as opposed to pan-head slotted screws.
Bought two Brenkert “Hi-Liger” fixtures out of a resale shop today $10.00 each. Fairly bad condition and missing lots of parts. This includes the 5" lenses and reflectors which might or might not have been bought with the fixture frame. (Back than both lens and reflectors were optional on PC. fixtures. At least they cut the asbestos whips off at the frame out of their own safety. Found them in an antique shop - one of like five visited today, under a shelf and in the basement. Brenkert Light Projection Co. Detroit, Mich. USA. Wifie and I search for in general stuff, some pictures and her china pattern, I look at tools - love old monkey wrenches (even use them constantly) - especially my dad’s for Soco plug usage or big conduit connectors. Can’t beat the classic monkey wrench for quality and they don’t make them similar these days, yet a really useful tool. Even saw one with a twisted steel handle today.. This amongst molding planes and lots of such tools available yet in having one now at work and at home, I’m good for now until I start collecting them. Mostly our day trips to antiques shops involve stuff she wants to see and stuff I bypass in different interests. I normally end up first in “shopping” and waiting about yet it is fun. This basement we were last in was a bit musty for her as common as with air conditioners that have not had filters cleaned lately. Basements often one finds good stuff, but also rusting away stuff. Never can tell what one might find in an antique shop... found a Kliegl #55 (I think it is having noted it but lost the reference to it) in another antiques shop. Same price - cheap as antiques dealers have no idea about stage lighting fixtures.
So far for that company in listed in book list of sources gone thru, I can track this company to: Brenkert Light Production Company, 8348 St. Aubin Ave., Detroit, Mi. Formerly specializing in high-powered projection equipment, this firm now has a complete line of stage lighting apparatus. (Catalogue) c.1929 Listed & c.1930-1940 Listed. Than 6545 St. Antoine Ave., Detroit 2, Michigan. 1954 Listed.
So of interest about the fixtures I found was they have common to the 1916-1930's use of cast aluminum front and back plates. This and stamped and bent steel mid-plates or side plates that are very complex in getting done what needs to be done for bending or rolling the plate. Way too complex for what needs to get done. Got a similar 6" Fresnel from the 30's I think and also from Display Stage Lighting - no conformation on that only a feeling by way of hole pattern and style from them. In this case these very narrow small sized fixtures have a medium screw base with a 5" lens. That’s really unusual. Side access door as opposed to top hinged door for the 250G250SP medium screw lamp says it’s old. In actual access to the lamp, this hinged side is economy and missing parts. Hinged from the top in removable slide wire, or removable from the bottom in missing parts - possibly another slide.
No UL listing on the fixtures, one has a sticker tag on it though and is interesting but also before UL listing of the fixture. Asbestos and not - grounded, much less cord grip was a more bakalite type one in not gripping the cord persay other than a knot behind it.
Interesting for me so far is the cord grip or pass tru that’s not really Bakalite, yet also not plastic. I think it’s from Square D, and marked as KS 112. Seemingly there was something like a rubber washer on the reverse end of it so as to retain this fitting.
Also of note is the I think 4-40 round head screws which attach most of the frame to the aluminum front and rear castings. That and round head 4-40 screws with hex nuts to attach rear baffles to the rear frame. Yet the medium screw lampholder of screw on top cleat style isn’t the normal round type, it’s smaller and flattened on the sides. This lampholder has no brand on it. On the other hand, the lampholder was using pan-head screws with the asbestos wiring.
These fixtures are very complex in how they were made - even have that 1/4" science experiment reflector post behind the lampholder. Also, the side access door and how the focus was done is complex. Just bending all these separate plates to make it work is totally 1920's or before. Medium screw 250G30SP lamp as specified for the fixture is also unusual - it’s a 250w medium screw based fixture, yet the 400w lamp was easily out by than. It’s really old style side access hinged side access to the lamp and front and rear plates... Confusing as a fixture given it has them hex nuts in use and even pan-head base to the lamp of a type I have never seen before. Add to that the round head screws and I think 4-40 at that in smaller size than I think was used for fixtures during the period.
So we have this older design fixtures that I think are 1940's yet it’s style is 1920's I think. Really old design concept by way of screw based and only 250w lamp and side access instead of the more common by now front access to the lamp.
Curious and Curiouser that these fixtures were also fount in Illinois - Major territory, but antiques dealers do travel in perhaps buying some locally.
Also interesting of note is that while both fixtures are seriously bad in condition, one is black, the other a sort of WWII olive drab - the darker color for it. This is the fixture that also has the vender sticker beyond casting for brand on the aluminum front. Clearly a box spot fixture, just a question of it’s age.
Both were also wall mount I think in one still having a bracket = a bronze bracket so as to mount it to a swivel ball 1/4-20 base. Focus mechanism is from the front, mounting is bracket to a stand or more likely I think wall monted bracket. Fascinating it’s also bronze this mount in seeming really old, yet if the fixture has hex nuts = especially 4-40 hex round head screws going into them....
Have to think that this is a really old design for fixture, 1940's in making and a really old design for it. That by way of company that made it using more modern nuts at least. Interesting that they were still using bronze mounting hardware and also more modern parts to fasten it together.
Design of the fixture I think - 1920's, these fixtures I have I think 1940's in production line. That and the WWII similar to Olive Drab paint might make them say 1946 in year as if surplus paint.
Could really be valid that the black fixture I have is the original color for them and during the 40's this company found a really good deal on Army paint. That would also explain a factory sticker on one and not the other... this except that the one I took apart tonight was the black version as opposed to the very darker WWII like olive drab version and it has the above hex nuts and hardware.
Given I don’t have a catalogue for these fixtures, I don’t know if they were hinged form top or bottom yet in lamp access. Some research yet to do on them. Good find in almost not even noticing them at an antique shop lower shelf near the stairs before I was giving up in other room not finding anything of interest. Just kind of noticed them at some point - the holes to them more than anything else in catching my attention. Normally I try to look up for gear hung or at least on a shelf, in this case, they were at the bottom of a stair case and on a lower shelf of mis-gear especially old/weak cordless drills above it.
Especially in the resale shop or lesser grade of shop, one might find stage lighting fixtures worth collecting = this over those antique shops I have found so far.
These fixtures are going to take a bit of work and I will post a photo of them soon. Still though I think the above analysis is useful overall in antique shopping for fixtures. In the mean time, can’t figure out how to deal with the serious rust issues on these fixtures. That will be a project given I think it’s a Lazy company and one that went under in not advancing, thus these two are c.1948 and really old in style but that’s the date I give them. A shame in that date as the style is clearly 1916-1920's but the hex nuts and size of screw for it don’t make for that. Also follows with the above vendor description.
My theory, it’s a WWII development or slightly before. Very important such fasteners in dating fixtures as with the round head as opposed to pan-head slotted screws.
Bought two Brenkert “Hi-Liger” fixtures out of a resale shop today $10.00 each. Fairly bad condition and missing lots of parts. This includes the 5" lenses and reflectors which might or might not have been bought with the fixture frame. (Back than both lens and reflectors were optional on PC. fixtures. At least they cut the asbestos whips off at the frame out of their own safety. Found them in an antique shop - one of like five visited today, under a shelf and in the basement. Brenkert Light Projection Co. Detroit, Mich. USA. Wifie and I search for in general stuff, some pictures and her china pattern, I look at tools - love old monkey wrenches (even use them constantly) - especially my dad’s for Soco plug usage or big conduit connectors. Can’t beat the classic monkey wrench for quality and they don’t make them similar these days, yet a really useful tool. Even saw one with a twisted steel handle today.. This amongst molding planes and lots of such tools available yet in having one now at work and at home, I’m good for now until I start collecting them. Mostly our day trips to antiques shops involve stuff she wants to see and stuff I bypass in different interests. I normally end up first in “shopping” and waiting about yet it is fun. This basement we were last in was a bit musty for her as common as with air conditioners that have not had filters cleaned lately. Basements often one finds good stuff, but also rusting away stuff. Never can tell what one might find in an antique shop... found a Kliegl #55 (I think it is having noted it but lost the reference to it) in another antiques shop. Same price - cheap as antiques dealers have no idea about stage lighting fixtures.
So far for that company in listed in book list of sources gone thru, I can track this company to: Brenkert Light Production Company, 8348 St. Aubin Ave., Detroit, Mi. Formerly specializing in high-powered projection equipment, this firm now has a complete line of stage lighting apparatus. (Catalogue) c.1929 Listed & c.1930-1940 Listed. Than 6545 St. Antoine Ave., Detroit 2, Michigan. 1954 Listed.
So of interest about the fixtures I found was they have common to the 1916-1930's use of cast aluminum front and back plates. This and stamped and bent steel mid-plates or side plates that are very complex in getting done what needs to be done for bending or rolling the plate. Way too complex for what needs to get done. Got a similar 6" Fresnel from the 30's I think and also from Display Stage Lighting - no conformation on that only a feeling by way of hole pattern and style from them. In this case these very narrow small sized fixtures have a medium screw base with a 5" lens. That’s really unusual. Side access door as opposed to top hinged door for the 250G250SP medium screw lamp says it’s old. In actual access to the lamp, this hinged side is economy and missing parts. Hinged from the top in removable slide wire, or removable from the bottom in missing parts - possibly another slide.
No UL listing on the fixtures, one has a sticker tag on it though and is interesting but also before UL listing of the fixture. Asbestos and not - grounded, much less cord grip was a more bakalite type one in not gripping the cord persay other than a knot behind it.
Interesting for me so far is the cord grip or pass tru that’s not really Bakalite, yet also not plastic. I think it’s from Square D, and marked as KS 112. Seemingly there was something like a rubber washer on the reverse end of it so as to retain this fitting.
Also of note is the I think 4-40 round head screws which attach most of the frame to the aluminum front and rear castings. That and round head 4-40 screws with hex nuts to attach rear baffles to the rear frame. Yet the medium screw lampholder of screw on top cleat style isn’t the normal round type, it’s smaller and flattened on the sides. This lampholder has no brand on it. On the other hand, the lampholder was using pan-head screws with the asbestos wiring.
These fixtures are very complex in how they were made - even have that 1/4" science experiment reflector post behind the lampholder. Also, the side access door and how the focus was done is complex. Just bending all these separate plates to make it work is totally 1920's or before. Medium screw 250G30SP lamp as specified for the fixture is also unusual - it’s a 250w medium screw based fixture, yet the 400w lamp was easily out by than. It’s really old style side access hinged side access to the lamp and front and rear plates... Confusing as a fixture given it has them hex nuts in use and even pan-head base to the lamp of a type I have never seen before. Add to that the round head screws and I think 4-40 at that in smaller size than I think was used for fixtures during the period.
So we have this older design fixtures that I think are 1940's yet it’s style is 1920's I think. Really old design concept by way of screw based and only 250w lamp and side access instead of the more common by now front access to the lamp.
Curious and Curiouser that these fixtures were also fount in Illinois - Major territory, but antiques dealers do travel in perhaps buying some locally.
Also interesting of note is that while both fixtures are seriously bad in condition, one is black, the other a sort of WWII olive drab - the darker color for it. This is the fixture that also has the vender sticker beyond casting for brand on the aluminum front. Clearly a box spot fixture, just a question of it’s age.
Both were also wall mount I think in one still having a bracket = a bronze bracket so as to mount it to a swivel ball 1/4-20 base. Focus mechanism is from the front, mounting is bracket to a stand or more likely I think wall monted bracket. Fascinating it’s also bronze this mount in seeming really old, yet if the fixture has hex nuts = especially 4-40 hex round head screws going into them....
Have to think that this is a really old design for fixture, 1940's in making and a really old design for it. That by way of company that made it using more modern nuts at least. Interesting that they were still using bronze mounting hardware and also more modern parts to fasten it together.
Design of the fixture I think - 1920's, these fixtures I have I think 1940's in production line. That and the WWII similar to Olive Drab paint might make them say 1946 in year as if surplus paint.
Could really be valid that the black fixture I have is the original color for them and during the 40's this company found a really good deal on Army paint. That would also explain a factory sticker on one and not the other... this except that the one I took apart tonight was the black version as opposed to the very darker WWII like olive drab version and it has the above hex nuts and hardware.
Given I don’t have a catalogue for these fixtures, I don’t know if they were hinged form top or bottom yet in lamp access. Some research yet to do on them. Good find in almost not even noticing them at an antique shop lower shelf near the stairs before I was giving up in other room not finding anything of interest. Just kind of noticed them at some point - the holes to them more than anything else in catching my attention. Normally I try to look up for gear hung or at least on a shelf, in this case, they were at the bottom of a stair case and on a lower shelf of mis-gear especially old/weak cordless drills above it.
Especially in the resale shop or lesser grade of shop, one might find stage lighting fixtures worth collecting = this over those antique shops I have found so far.
These fixtures are going to take a bit of work and I will post a photo of them soon. Still though I think the above analysis is useful overall in antique shopping for fixtures. In the mean time, can’t figure out how to deal with the serious rust issues on these fixtures. That will be a project given I think it’s a Lazy company and one that went under in not advancing, thus these two are c.1948 and really old in style but that’s the date I give them. A shame in that date as the style is clearly 1916-1920's but the hex nuts and size of screw for it don’t make for that. Also follows with the above vendor description.
