We’ve all seen these beautiful aluminium theatre lights that’ve been popping up all over Sydney recently, mounted on old wooden surveryor’s tripods. This is a spectacular example, seen in Balmain in May.
This is really well done up; the wood shines that perfect honey-golden colour. Don’t even think about the price, though…
A completely un-restored one, complete with tripod AND glass focusing lens on the light, was in the Mitchell Road Auction Centre a few weeks back, in one of the trade stalls in the upstairs section. You can see all the old paint still on the aluminium top part, and the right-hand pic shows the tripod feet with the price tag; $1500, before a polish.
In a furniture shop on Broadway I saw a dirty wooden tripod attached to a busted old telescope that had next to no chance of still working. Mouldy old wood and oxidised metal will still set you back $700 easy. Maybe that’s why I’ve now seen, as of last night’s walk to Central station with Cath…
The NEW evolution. Someone’s done away with the tripod and turned these luscious shiny aluminium lights into desk pieces. I’d bet these bases aren’t what the lights were originally on. They seem odd, but cute; sort of like trophies mounted on pedestals, to proudly display in your study. At the top right behind the fire hose there’s a full-scale monster beauty, on a stand as it should be.
