Lighting-Gallery.net
Lamps => Vintage & Antique => Topic started by: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA on October 11, 2021, 04:32:55 AM
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As I have been looking to expand my lighting collection, I have been easily able to source some vintage HID lamps on eBay pretty easily, but I somehow have a hard time finding vintage fluorescent tubes on ebay that are longer than 2 feet such as North American VHO tubes and HO fluorescent tubes from bygone eras. In addition, I also notice that even North American halophosphate F40T12 fluorescent tubes such as F40CW tubes are rarely sold on eBay too. Why are there so few listings for vintage fluorescent tubes that are longer than 2 feet on eBay? I am wondering if there are any online stores where I can easily source vintage fluorescent tubes longer than 2 feet from around the world and expand my collection.
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There is transport problem. Fluorescents are just extremely fragile to be handled by regular shipping services.
Bulb selling e-shops had arrangements with shipping companies and enough experience how to pack them to survive the delivery, but for ordinary people the shipping damages would be just way too frequent.
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It used to be pretty common to see older 4' florescents on eBay, but...
* Simple fact is its all about LED these days, the average person doesn't want anything to do with fluorescent.
* eBay sucks now for small sellers, plain & simple*. and the bigger sellers just have whats common stuff/sells best
* Anything longer than 4' is a pain (& expensive) to ship.
(*= sadly there's no decent replacement, if there was I make an account there)
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It used to be pretty common to see older 4' florescents on eBay, but...
* Simple fact is its all about LED these days, the average person doesn't want anything to do with fluorescent.
* eBay sucks now for small sellers, plain & simple*. and the bigger sellers just have whats common stuff/sells best
* Anything longer than 4' is a pain (& expensive) to ship.
(*= sadly there's no decent replacement, if there was I make an account there)
In that case, ReStores are some of the best places for finding vintage fluorescent tubes. I would be interested in looking for places other than ReStores where I could find vintage fluorescent tubes. In addition, I am also interested in getting help with finding vintage lighting in countries outside the US besides eBay.
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In that case, ReStores are some of the best places for finding vintage fluorescent tubes.
That depends on where you live...
Here for example the ReStores do not accept donations of fluorescent lamps or fixtures (with the occasional exception of corporate donations of new stuff).
So you basically ain't gonna find anything there.
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I have some interesting tubes for sale, found in a closed down former lighting dealer, probably 60-70 years old. A couple of GE pinks (tested) , GE black end warm white, Duro Test, etc. Interesting fixtures too.
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My ReStores won't accept anything with mercury in them .
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@mainstreetprod:
Ge pinks?...that's some awesome stuff right there!
Duro Test made some unique/interesting/cool stuff.
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My local ReStore still has fluorescent lamps, but it's been a while since I found a vintage one there.
I would suggest Facebook Marketplace or similar services; that's about the only way I can find vintage fluorescent stuff anymore, and even then I only see good stuff occasionally.
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My local ReStore still has fluorescent lamps, but it's been a while since I found a vintage one there.
I would suggest Facebook Marketplace or similar services; that's about the only way I can find vintage fluorescent stuff anymore, and even then I only see good stuff occasionally.
That's around the same for my area too. Restore still sells fluorescent lamps and fixtures, but it's only odd lengths or odd colours and most look to be corporate rather than individual donations. Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji are where the good vintage stuff seems to be now.
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Also I found fluorescent tubes in the dumpster. I have found some bari made osram tubes, GE UK made trimline lamp. And couple of mainlighters that way.