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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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20th Dec 2012, 11:57 pm | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 986
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Porcelain Lampholders
Hi all.
I found these porcelain lampholders lying around in a loft I was working in today. I have seen many of the surface mount types before, such as the example in the last picture, as these can be found in bulkhead light fittings etc. I have not encountered the type in the first two photos, however. These appear to be designed to mount through a panel or enclosure. Has anyone come across these before, or are familiar with the makers name, 'Seecol London' ? SimonT.
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The honesty of imperfection.......... Last edited by thermionic; 21st Dec 2012 at 12:19 am. Reason: Makers name added |
21st Dec 2012, 1:19 am | #2 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Tonyrefail, Rhondda, South Wales, UK.
Posts: 337
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Re: Porcelain Lampholders
These were used in a lot of old stage lighting lanterns. Mostly in battens or groundrows.
They would use the E27 (ES) type. They were used for lighting the tops of cloths (when hung) and for footlights along the stage front. Daniel |
21st Dec 2012, 9:54 am | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
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Re: Porcelain Lampholders
Interesting. I have not seen them before but their specialist use is probably why. There used to be a lot of switched BC brass lampholders with ceramic internals, don't know if they are still available.
Peter |
21st Dec 2012, 10:00 am | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: Porcelain Lampholders
The brass BC lampholders currently available are very similar to the ones you describe, but have thermoplastic internals.
N. |
21st Dec 2012, 10:19 am | #5 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 2,508
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Re: Porcelain Lampholders
SEECOL - Strand Electrical and Engineering Co. Ltd.
Exactly as Daniel states, the main application of these was in battens etc, where the lampholder mounts through a thin steel panel - hence the shoulder in the porcelain around the lamp entry. The lamp would then project through a reflector, while the body of the holder was enclosed in a wiring channel all the way along the back of the unit. The groove in the porcelain across each terminal was arranged to allow the holders to be readily connected together, every third or fourth holder usually being on the same circuit. Lengths of 3/.036 cable would run along the holders, with a ring of insulation stripped off at each terminal screw where the cable would lie in the groove. I would not like to think how many of these holders I have rewired. Somewhere I still have the jig for making up the cableforms and marking the strip points, from when they were in widespread use in theatres but in need of their perished VIR cabling replaced. See Strand battens at the Strand Archive for more info. Lucien |