Great retro pull down lights for your kitchen, from Progress vintage 1961
Mid Mod Pam on Sep 07 2008 at 8:00 am | Filed under: lighting
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.
My Progress catalog has some 40+ pages of fixtures in all to showcase — many of them really terrific — so stay tuned for more!
Oh, how I love these lights! Years ago, when I was young and stupid and ignorant about my MCM fetish, my grandparents sold their lake cabin, which was a 50’s goldmine. One of these lights was there, and I kick myself every day for not knowing enough to nab it while I could have.
Isn’t there anyone who makes pull-down lights anymore? It seems like such a useful idea for above dining room tables.
Retro Jen, I do not know of anyone making pull down lighting like this today, alas. But - generally, there’s a good selection on ebay.
Oooo…very much looking forward to the rest of the catalouge. Our house was built in 1961, and I’ve been searching for something to replace the monstrosity of a dining room chandelier. Have been checking eBay faithfully, too - just trying to find the right balance of “awesome” and “budget.”
Thanks for posting this!
Hello - I’ve been browsing on this site over the past year and thank you for all the great ideas. I have a Pull lamp that works great - that I may need to part with.
Is there a place to post that on this site? I moved into a 1959 House last December and have been making my Retro Renovations ever since. I also just found a great box of 50s/60s wallpaper in the basement… Among many other unique finds. Thanks
Pam, I actually own a P 4121. It is currently in my garage, it used to be in my breakfast room but I took it out a few years ago. I have been thinking of re-wiring it and seeing if I can polish it up or spray paint it white and use it somewhere else in the house. I’ll try to take some pics of it to post to my Flickr account.
I had no idea what a retractable kitchen light was until I started reading Pam’s site. We bought a 1960 home a few months back and I was out in the laundry room (outside, attached to our carport) when I looked up and finally took notice of the light hanging in the rafters… I exclaimed “I wonder if this is one of those retractable thingys everyone’s always talking about!” Yeppers. It’s sitting out there all stapled up to the ceiling.
Not in the best shape and the glass is missing so now I’m in search of a glass shade to add to it. Then I can refinish it and move in back into the house in a place of honor.
Jami
I’m trying to replace parts to one of the Progress Sophisticates line, #4588, both the bottom glass and the pull down handle are broken. I inherited my parents 1963 home, and this light is not only retractable, they put it on a track that enables it to move back and forth along the length of the dining table too! I hope to find something that will at least make it “look” better. I need to clean the white cord/cable, it is covered with decades of dust and black oil furnace residue. and the brass coloring needs repainting(?). Any suggestions??
Skyla
I need to replace the cord on mine. anyone have any ideas on where to acquire it?
Try this site for the rayon cover: http://www.grandbrass.com/catalog.cfm?category=Wire&subcategory=All
My lamp did not paint up right, followed directions, but it lost it’s “shine”, but it still is fine, would not recommend spray painting. May have found a pull down handle for it, and found the rayon cover on the above site. Now we have to replace the lightbulb fixture, so this little project is turning out to be rather unpleasent. Found out the spray paint goes thru the little holes in the shade (opps), so that was fun too.
Since the lamp is now a different shine, I have to paint the track it was in, which should prove interesting as I have to do it ON the ceiling…sigh.
Well, found out the hard way (how else) what NOT to do for painting: I used the Rustoleum, sanded, primed, sanded, painted, etc EXACTLY to intructions, ended up doing the lamp 6 times total.
EVERY time I touch it, try to dust it, and swear even so much as look at it, it scratches, comes off, etc. After two calls to Rustoleum, I find you that NO, you can not touch, dust, or clean this paint (ever)! Now thats makes too much sense, paint for interior use, RECOMMENED to use on my lamp, and you can not clean or handle it! So, not only does it not “shine”, it is a big bust in my opinion.
ANY ideas out there for a brush on Brass paint!? I have alot of surface area to do, and would prefer to not have to take it off the ceiling….yet again.
Thanks!
Skyla
Skyla, I checked in with Palm Springs Stephan and here is what he advises:
“The only possibility I can think of is either of my two old standbys: plating or powder coating. Powder coating would be far cheaper than plating, and there are some truly amazing finishes available. I just had my Holly in-the-wall heater cover powder coated in “Extreme Chrome” and while it does not look like chrome, it does look very much like highly polished stainless steel, which is exactly the look I was going for. $125 for the 4 foot tall cover. Surely a lamp would be far less, though she may have to strip the current paint off first. And I know there are several shades of gold and brass available. And once it is done, the finish is highly durable … no worry about touching or cleaning.
Hope this helps.” - Stephan
I will also add, Skyla, that I also just bought an old light fixture this weekend that I was thinking of painting pretty much as you did. Now, I think I will give the powder coating a try. Gosh, sorry you went through all this… the issue with this old stuff is that it tests your patience (and pocketbook, often)…although the results are usually worth it. I need to put the photo of your light up for all to see. They will be jealous for sure, you have a very desirable one! - Pam
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