A Couple of Oddballs, the Leech Lens and the Rolco Longalife Surge Resister.

[John Seaman]

The nice thing about buying job lots is that you often find interesting old bits and bobs which offer an insight into the old days of photography. Such as the Leech Lens and the Rolco Longalife Surge Resister.

From Grace's Guide: “Leech Optical Co of 277-277a, High Road, Rochester, Kent. Cables: P "Prisma Et, Rochester". London Office: 94 Hatton Garden, EC1. Telephone: Holborn 1752

1947 Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. Manufacturers of Photographic Enlargers, Students Optical Bench, Still Projection, Microscope Objectives, Accessories, Projection Lenses, Prisms, Condensers, Readers, Aplantic Magnifiers, Mirrors, Bloomed Aluminised Rhodiumised Optical Surfaces. (Olympia, Ground Floor, Stand No. A.1051)”

It seems strange that they would supply a kit consisting of a projector lens, condenser, reflector and heatshield, in a nice presentation box

Apparently projector lamps are vulnerable to the surge of current on switching on, because the filament is cold. Enter the Longalife Surge Resister by Ronco Products.

Edited November 12, 2022 by John Seaman

[rick_drawbridge]

Ah, the sheer nostalgia for the great age of gadgets! So many things you could use for so many hobbies and crafts, the back pages of Popular Mechanics were crammed with such items for the hobbyist and DIY fiends. Who didn't have a crystal set, and a longing to get into HAM radio? These were the halcyon days of photography, with so much to try and experiment with. Thanks for the post; I think I'll go and play with some old cameras...

[Mike Gammill]

Interesting- never heard of a surge resistor for projection lamps but it seems like a sensible idea.  Back in the late 50's and early 60's some companies offered a surge suppressor of some kind to theoretically all vacuum tube filaments to gradually warm up with the hopes of longer tube life.

[rodeo_joe1]

Leech were still operational in Rochester as late as 1971 at least, and an extremely obliging company too. I know because I scratched the ground-glass surface of my Praktina FX focusing screen. I took it to Leech's workshops, where a glass technician re-ground the surface for me while I waited. In fact I was invited in to watch it being done! And fascinating it was too. 

My nostalgia is for the time when such friendly service was fairly commonplace. But then many people actually had some practical skills back then, and took pride in showing them off. 

[John Seaman]

Thanks for the responses. "Students Optical Bench, Still Projection, Microscope Objectives, Accessories, Projection Lenses, Prisms, Condensers, Readers, Aplantic Magnifiers, Mirrors, Bloomed Aluminised Rhodiumised Optical Surfaces". I was wondering what Aplantic Magnifiers were, I think Aplanatic means corrected for spherical abberation. And Student Optical Benches? I vaguely remember when doing A Level physics, using a sort of bench rig with movable  lenses, lamps etc mounted on it, to study focusing or whatever. And Rhodiumised optical surfaces, do they still use that?

Edited November 14, 2022 by John Seaman

[chuck_foreman1]

Hahhaa  I did build a crystal set.. and my Dad was sorf of a Ham operator.. (too little time ..too many chiidren)  I do like "the bits" as the english call them. and they are nostalgic. I do recall just what you described.... happened once. We were all assembled to view slides one night and just when the show was supposed to start the surge blew the bulb... I guess we didn't have this device :). I also recall a cooling fan would start and stop.   Mostly I remember the projection screen had arather unique smell too.

 

[John Seaman]

Yes I heard a story about the Camera Club president's favourite slide being destroyed when the fan on their 3KW projector stopped working.

[chuck_foreman1]

MY Dad "rescued" if that is the word a military Lantern Slide projector from somewhere.. Essentially it works like the "overhead projector.  I didn'T have any 6xX projector so I rigged the 4x5 holder to carry a 6x6 slide I was so pleased with the result ( made with the Argus 40 BTW)  I left it on and went to the living room and got dstracted by the TV.. I wanted to bring others to show but I left it too long and it heated the slide and badly distorted it  .. not a happy camper!!