Hi.

I have acquired an old series incandescent luminaire that I cannot identify. I was hoping someone might recognize this lamp and be able to identify make, form # and approximate vintage.

It is a high voltage series street light. I doesn't have a film cutout disc but rather a film cutout socket insert. It uses a two piece Holophane refractor where one piece fits inside the other. The outer refractor has vertical ribs and the inner refractor has horizontal ribs. Together the two refractors diffuse the light pretty evenly.

The socket rides on two threaded conductors that extend down from the supply conductor lugs. The socket can be adjusted up or down inside the lamp by rotating these threaded conductors.

The reflector appears to be cast iron.



Here are photos of the lamp disassembled.







Any ideas?

Thanks!!!

I can't help ID, but that sure is a neat fixture!

I can't help ID, but that sure is a neat fixture!

Thanks. Here is what it looks like reassembled and in the collection.



When I saw these kinds of lights as a kid the conductors were always corkscrewed coming down from the insulators to the luminaire.  I figured it was a strain relief since the insulators were rigidly mounted to the span clamp and the light hung from an eye and would swing a little in the wind.

In looking at the patents I'm starting to think this might be an early Holophane luminaire.  I'm not sure when Holophane started making complete luminaires but the patent for the sight glass was issued for a "luminair."

That is an amazing fixture!    Glad to see it's in the hands of someone who will truly appreciate it. 

That is an amazing fixture!    Glad to see it's in the hands of someone who will truly appreciate it. 

Thanks.  I really got lucky.  There's one like it on eBay for $400 (which is too rich for my budget) although the seller thinks it's from the 20s.  That's the cool thing about finding patent numbers on these things - it helps with dating.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130524653090

Here's the interesting part.  Based on two relatively innocuous details - a pattern of tiny paint drops and a specific original thumbscrew that was replaced with a small hex bolt - the person selling the light on eBay is using photos of my light.   I've seen three of these come up.  I bid on the first one and got beat.  I shagged the second one.  The seller must have a bunch of these because right about when I got mine restored a third one appeared, this time for a steep price.  Someone must have suggested what these things could be worth - although it remains to be seen what someone actually pays for it.