I am very excited about my latest vintage marketing material – a large catalog from Progress lighting dated December 1961.
The catalog is about equally split between retro groovy… southwestern style “Rancher”…colonial Americana… and viva Las Vegas, which is something that we have not dived into too much on this blog so far — but I feel an itch coming on!
Reading through I’ve learned that these lights were not called “retractable” — which is the term that I have been using. Rather, they were simply called “pull downs”.
And the copywriting from the Progress catalog is very fun:
Pull-downs in refreshing variety, with matching ceiling pieces and other coordinates… In this section, smartly sophisticated metal; nonchalance and warmth of wood in both walnut “slats” and “matchsticks”; “Ranchers”, large-scale and handsome as the Southwestrn originals; authentic charming and heart-warming are the “Early Americans”… Light moves from its age-old stationary position and becomes a faithful service of satisfying mobility, ease and luxury….
Today, I’ve featured two of the more modern lines: (1) The Sophisticates, and (2) Mardis Gras. I also have the price list, and it looks like the largest pull downs sold for $35-$40 at the end of 1961. Today, these can still be found on ebay, in many varieties. If you’re lucky, you can get a great price for a very mint fixture, but sometimes the bidding gets going on a desirable piece. In general – I predict these will continue to get hotter and hotter in the marketplace.
PRECAUTIONARY PAM REMINDS:
I have been told that pull-down lighting is no longer to code; please get with your own properly licensed professional to assess the situation and what you are working with so that you can make informed decisions. And, in any old fixture, also get with a pro to check the wiring and any other safety/environmental issues.
COMMENTS CLOSED – getting redundant
Jita says
I TOTALLY just scored one of these for next to NOTHING!
Yippppeee!
Thanks to Retro Renovation I know what to look for in light fixtures. So when I spotted this beauty I nearly screamed.
So how much do these usually go for on eBay?
Kari says
Hello!
I have a great pull-down pendant lamp which came with the 1961 house which we just purchased. (The lamp is just one of many treasures.) Overall, the lamp is in pretty good shape, but unfortunately, the cloth wiring is terribly frayed. I took it down because it was looking like a safety hazard. I’d like to rewire it, but can’t find a source for the cloth covered three-wire cord which it currently uses. I tried some of the links here for sources, but can only find 2 wire cord. If anyone has suggestions, let me know!
Thanks!
Kari
Dave says
Kari,
Can I make an offer for your lamp?
I’m trying my best to locate a couple of these!
Let me know, thanks
Dave
chris says
Wow – I have a P4307 in my kitchen!! It’s a fantastic fixture, and it looks just like a flying saucer preparing to land on my kitchen table – Mine is also on a track, so it pulls sideways, as well as up and down
John Taylor says
Oh those Pull Down Lamps. We had one in a house that I lived in at an early age. Mom hated it with a passion. I thought it was so atomic. Needless to say she got rid of it and that was in the late 60’s I was in morning til just a few years back when I seen one at a second hand store and paid 40 bucks for it, so i picked it up and hung it in my Dining room. This one was a western lamp type with the globe but a few months back I found one that was big as a flying Saucer and the lady at the Antique Shoppe practically gave it to me for 10 bucks, Girl I screamed when I seen that thing and hung it in my 40’s 50’s and 60 style Kitchen.
Thank you for letting me carry on and believe this or not. I look for them lamps when I go out, I believe that anyone that wants one, should have one. They are a true blue treat.
JT
Darlene says
John,
Thanks for your stories. They really are encouraging to me. I would love to have something like the Sophisticates p4307.
Darlene
James says
I need a 17″ round replacement glass for my pull-down light. Anyone know where they can be found at a reasonable price?
Pam Kueber says
Hi James, I did a lot of research on this with the help of another ingenious reader last month – for Nancy. I’ll pull out the emails and try to get them online asap. The stuff is out there – but it’s buried.
Pam Kueber says
James, found it fast in my emails:
Reader Sklya found this INCREDIBLE SOURCE for “diffusers” – shades for ceiling fixtures of every size – and great retro styles, too!
Click here for 12″ and 14″ shades (roughly)
http://www.seagulllighting.com/pc2-sc4/Bent-Glass-Ceiling-Lighting.htm
Jan says
I have two of these wonderful pull-down lights! I bought both on ebay. They are truly midcentury Americana!
nanasaidso says
Skyla,
Before you give up on spray paint, have you tried a clear topcoat spray? It’s available in different finishes so you can have it as shiny or matte as you like.
I use it a lot to make cleaning easier. For instance, the open soffits in my kitchen (where grease and dust combine so nicely) are great for display, but a bitch to clean. I’m happy if I get it done twice a year, which isn’t a problem for ceramics, but not so good for my paper and fabric covered storage boxes. So, I sprayed them inside and out with clear topcoat. Worked great.
I’ve used it on painted wood and metal, too. It should work fine on your light fixture, though I’d switch to florescent bulbs if you haven’t already.
astrosonical says
Thanks for the heads up Pam, I will try for a picture as soon as possible, it’s in a place that is not easily accessable. I can’t resist putting my two cents in whenever people talk about hanging lights and table lamps.
astrosonical says
We had a wonderful thrift store that had a pull down with no glass. It was bent down the middle too. Seems like I saw it a couple of times before I decided I’d buy it in spite of the glass. The day I bought it, my keen detective instincts found what had to be the glass piece about two feet away. I thought it was a standard ceiling piece, but it fit after I carefully bent the metal part back into shape. The cashier charged me $3.50 for it! It’s a very clean piece, careful handling made me discover it will not pull down, it just hangs. No problem. It’s safely put away from harm until I get my affairs in order. I will have it tested first, I do not want to have it rewired because I don’t want the look ruined. Better that though, if necessary, than an electrical disaster.
Skyla says
Well, I may just have to end up painting it a nice red enamel, (to go with my kitchen counter tops). Unfortunately the option of $$ on this lamp is a no-go, hubby says do it cheap or forget it. I have to agree, we will be about $50 into it, what with the other parts, and if I do a “colored” paint on it. I’ll still keep looking for an affordable option, but things aren’t working out too well. Sigh…
When/IF I ever get this lamp done, I’ll send the pics, but it probably won’t be for a long time yet.
We have endless work, refloor, rebuild a wall/hall, electricity, entire interior to paint, two story ranch, add to the living room oak floors where a hall came out and gave us about 18′ x 3′ of extra room. Good thing is the hardwood flooring IS doable, so will come after the hall/wall rebuild…someday. Just a part of the over-all fixing up that needs to be done. Hubby had to totally rebuild the entire front porch, deck, stairs (still needs to do stairs, but cement landing has to go in first), so it is just a big on-and-on-and-on, overwhelming thing. Will be worth it in the end.
So you see, my poor little lamp is NOT on the money to spend radar, red enamel might be fun???
Thanks for the reply!
Skyla