Vintage Lighting Tell Me What This Is?

[RedGreenBlue132]

So I bought this light, just restored it to working condition. I know it's function but I really don't know the history, the name of it or any real details.

What I do know:

Manufactured by Best Devices

Uses a GE Telechron clock motor to rotate the gel scroller
Patent dates on the motor puts it at mid to late 1920's early 30's
Uses a 250w GE Mazda Lamp.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

I'm betting it doesn't do DMX.

Sent from my SPH-L720

 

[Footer]

Looks like some type of holiday decoration, a precursor to one of these:

That is where I would start. Could have been made way after that clock motor patent.

 

[RedGreenBlue132]

I'm betting it doesn't do DMX.

I think I could get a saltwater dimmer to hook it up to, going to party like it's 1929.

 

[RedGreenBlue132]

Looks like some type of holiday decoration, a precursor to one of these:

That is where I would start. Could have been made way after that clock motor patent.

That's what I figured, but in the 30's Telechron went to a copper and aluminum motor housings, the one on this is still made of brass. If they were going to make a new light they probably wouldn't have used an older motor. The style and machining also isn't consistent with late 30's 40's lights.
There might be a date stamped on the motor, I'll have to check again. They don't all have dates.

 

[ship]

Fixture PC is Century or Capitol in style and or many other brands of PC light fixture I would need more info on in photos to. Lots of brands of the same style of fixture shape and design but of the two I would pick the former. Possible it was a color spinner I think such a thing could be called in inventing the name. I would think it a 4.5" lens to the PC but don't see a Fresnel cut to it. Need lots more photos on the fixture itself and say what ever heat shielding if any was done about the motor to the spinner. Could have been something home built or factory built as an option depenant on how they did that motor atop the fixture.

They are braized welds on the gel frame assembly and says 50's to me overall. Or is that a seperate motor/turner assembly I see next to it - say belt fed to the wheel that I see? Same era but that would solve some problems of heat in how it was done and make it factory in engineering such a contraption.

Baby cying for Dada... more later but need more photos.

 

[RedGreenBlue132]

Fixture PC is Century or Capitol in style and or many other brands of PC light fixture I would need more info on in photos to. Lots of brands of the same style of fixture shape and design but of the two I would pick the former. Possible it was a color spinner I think such a thing could be called in inventing the name. I would think it a 4.5" lens to the PC but don't see a Fresnel cut to it. Need lots more photos on the fixture itself and say what ever heat shielding if any was done about the motor to the spinner. Could have been something home built or factory built as an option depenant on how they did that motor atop the fixture.

They are braized welds on the gel frame assembly and says 50's to me overall. Or is that a seperate motor/turner assembly I see next to it - say belt fed to the wheel that I see? Same era but that would solve some problems of heat in how it was done and make it factory in engineering such a contraption.

Baby cying for Dada... more later but need more photos.

Those aren't actually welds, but like really short nails or pins that are compressed on the other side, almost like pop rivits. no belts, all gear driven uses a Telechron B-2 motor running at 1 rpm which drives a vertical shaft, that rotates the gel wheel. Hopefully these pictures will help...

 

[ship]

Photo's make the day and I was talking braise welds to the support arms on thPoe gel frame assembly. Very cool fixture and as said probably much older than I was thinking. My notes on Best Devices say 3459 West 140th street, Cleveland 11 Ohio. Slide Projectors, Baby Spotlights, Color Wheels. This was found in a 1954 book on Stage Lighting as a source for lighting.

Suspect it's a 4.1/2" lens and while I don't have any of that brand pc in that size, no longer thinking due to shape someone else made the PC. Copied the idea of the grommeted vent holes from others for a very quality product. Nice job of re-wiring though I will have done a high-temp barrier strip to interconnect lamp with motor if not seperated the two for difference in speed verses intensity. I also will have saved the porcelain bushing but added a cord grip inside of the fixture so the fiberglass sleeving/wire functions properly. There is verious types of cord grip that would act as a stop in being pulled out.

Porcelain cord bushing, what does it say on it for a brand? What brand is the lamp socket in assuming you cleaned it up and than treated the brite work? Overall saying an old fixture somewhere between say 1911 and say 1940 in date so far given the further photos. The research above on the motor also is a good way of research into date. I have no mention of when Best Devices started as a company but that's another web search possible. That it wasn't mentioned as a company in any of my other books from 1929 thru... and I have a lot of them doesn't mean they are not old, just means they were not mentioned other than in one book as a source.

 

[balderson04]

Best Devices Company is apparently still in business at 3190 West 32nd Street, Cleveland, OH 44109. At least, a Better Business Bureau rating shows that 1) they are not registered with the BBB; and 2) there are no known complaints or government actions against the company. You might get some info on your unit from them, but BBB also notes that two requests for information from the company have gone unanswered. They are apparently only mail order.

Neat instrument, though.

 

[scotteckers]

I found this:
http://www.finduslocal.com/theatricalstage-lightingmanufacturers/ohio/cleveland/best-devices-co

 

[ship]

I found this:
Best Devices Co in Cleveland, OH 44109 Directions and Hours and Reviews

would seem they still exist and going direct to them can possibly tell you than us the history of it.