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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 11:44 am   #2
ajgriff
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
Default Re: Porsche Jazz Desk Lamp (Star Trek VI)

PART 2 - CAPTAIN'S LOG SUPPLEMENTAL

I thought it might be interesting to consider this lamp's merits in the context of the many Internet sellers who claim that their wares are vintage, collectable ('ible' if you must), designer, classic, iconic, legendary, rare etc. No doubt these descriptions are used in the belief that perceived value will somehow be enhanced. In reality many of these are difficult to pin down with any degree of agreed accuracy. The term collectable particularly amuses me as pretty much anything can be, and is, collected by someone somewhere from fossils to valve radios (yes, I have a few of those too) or sand in your shoe. However, there are a couple of these terms, designer and rare, which might arguably be applied to this lamp.

So could the Jazz lamp be described as designer? In fact it was designed in 1988 by the well respected and long established Austrian based agency F A Porsche, the founder of which was responsible for the styling of the 'legendary' Porsche 911. The lamp was granted an Italian design award known as The Golden Compass in 1991 as it was manufactured in Milan by PAF. It does also have a certain elegant simplicity which might also justify use of the word. It was certainly conceived with particular goals in mind rather than being simply cobbled together or manufactured as a copy of someone else's product.

Could the lamp be accurately described as rare? Well, there don't seem to be many advertised for sale worldwide so they are not exactly commonplace. I'll leave you to check this out should you feel so inclined. I would speculate that there are a couple of reasons for this apparent scarcity. Firstly, I suspect it was both expensive to buy and to produce. The extending curved slide rule arrangement in particular must have been a real manufacturing challenge at the time. In any event I can't imagine that they sold in vast numbers. By the way, there was a choice of two colour schemes, anthracite (like mine and Kirk's) or black. It's not clear whether or not they were in production concurrently or indeed how long production lasted. Furthermore the whole structure is rather fragile so I'd guess that quite a few will have been damaged during the last thirty years and simply got thrown away.

Does the lamp's possible rarity, Porsche association and designer status plus its Star Trek credentials matter to me? Not a lot, although these things are a bonus which probably led me to write this in the first place. I bought it because I have always wanted (and never found) an adjustable lamp that does as it's told. This one does just that. The light stays where I put it without moving off in some random direction and without the whole thing toppling over. Added to this it has a very neat switch and dimmer function. In the folded position light pressure downwards turns the lamp on or off. Holding down one end of the neon lit bar dims or brightens the light. Holding down the other end reverses the direction of intensity change. The lamp remembers the last dimmer setting when it's switched off providing it remains connected to the mains. The unit is compact when folded and is easily transportable. It even has a small compartment for stowing the cable. Functionality wins over style for me. I assume the design award judges will have taken this into account as well as the aesthetics.

In today's terms the electronics are straightforward enough with a 13V toroidal transformer feeding a triac and DIP8 controller chip which is thoughtfully socketed for easy replacement. In 1988 I suspect that not too many desk lamps would have had this level of specification. This will have pushed up production costs still further. I've developed a bond with this inanimate object as a result of repairing and using it so might even treat it to a spare chip while they are still around. It's not widely available now but cheap Chinese ones can still be had for a couple of pounds.

The lamp was definitely worth repairing despite the consequent cosmetic compromises created by the stickers although these really aren't that offensive in practice. Would I sell it if offered the silly price currently being asked by an Italian purveyor of 'classic designer collectables'? You bet I would as I'm not a complete idiot.

If you are the only person who has stayed with me thus far I'm both grateful and impressed. Finally, if it's of any interest, the desk lamp cost £2 with an estimated parts/materials cost of less than £1.

Please see attached photos for greater clarity.

Must now return to the Tek scope and its faulty B sweep trigger. All things point to tunnel diode failure. Thank goodness for the former USSR's military surplus. At least now I'll find it easier to see the tiny little socket holes for the diode leads. Let there be light - but in the right place of course!


Alan
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