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Old 15th Jul 2017, 1:01 pm   #1
Colourstar
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Default The Gondola...... some period tat!

Ciao!

I came across this tasteful momento of Italy amongst at the regular weekly Nottingham outdoor junk market, where each Saturday boxes of house clearance treasure are spread across the floor ready for a good rummage. If it rains, it all gets wet! As a lover of period tat I couldn't resist this, especially at £2.

I guess it dates from between the late 60s and mid 70s and is of the flimsiest construction. A little self assembly is required as you have to put Giuseppe the gondolier in position and thread the oar through his hands. The boat is illuminated by nine small fairy light bulbs. It's a case of guess-the-voltage as there are no instructions or ratings anywhere to be seen, but a cautious application of 100v provided fairly dim illumination, suggesting that it would be quite happy at something approaching our UK mains. I don't think it's ever been powered up as the flex is still tightly coiled and terminated with a 2 pin plug.

This is just the sort of thing that would have fascinated me as a kid and I have to admit, darn it, it still does today.

Anyone fancy a Cornetto?

Steve
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Last edited by Colourstar; 15th Jul 2017 at 1:07 pm.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 1:39 pm   #2
mike_newcomb
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Hi Steve, is that a Continental 2 pin Plug?

If so, would suspect when made the Gondola was designed for mains supply, which at the time (and still is) in Italy was around 220v. Ours in the UK is now much the same, whereas previously was 240v.

I often have problems in Italy as their wiring standards are poor.
eg ring main, not ring and only 2 wire.
No Consumer Unit - Mains CB trips trips out, when Kettle and Toaster used at same time.

If it is a UK Plug, would think Woolies were involved.

Regards - Mike
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 1:58 pm   #3
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

It looks like souvenir tourist tat from Venice to me, but with age it has become rather attractive in a kitsch sort of way. The multiple languages on the packaging and the Europlug are a giveaway.

I wouldn't leave it switched on unattended
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 2:35 pm   #4
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike_newcomb View Post
Hi Steve, is that a Continental 2 pin Plug?

If so, would suspect when made the Gondola was designed for mains supply, which at the time (and still is) in Italy was around 220v. Ours in the UK is now much the same, whereas previously was 240v.

I often have problems in Italy as their wiring standards are poor.
eg ring main, not ring and only 2 wire.
No Consumer Unit - Mains CB trips trips out, when Kettle and Toaster used at same time.
It's a myth that anyone in the UK had their voltage reduced as a result of European harmonisation. It was just a paper exercise where our stated tolerance went from 240v +/- 6% to 230v +10%/-6% and everything was left just as it was.

Final ring circuits are pretty much unique to the UK.

Graham.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 2:43 pm   #5
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Hi chaps, yes it is a continental plug. Whether or not the Gondola was purchased in Italy, I have suspicion it may well have shipped in, if you'll excuse the pun, from Hong Kong. It has that feel about it.

I wouldn't fancy leaving it lit and unattended for long periods. On full mains power I could imagine the bulbs becoming quite hot and the plastic really is very thin. There's nothing to secure the boat to it's stand, so it will topple with the slightest tug of the mains lead. No doubt it would have been a magnet to curious youngsters too.

It really is tourist tat of the highest order, but serves as a reminder of the days when foreign holidays were a geniune novelty.

Steve
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 3:29 pm   #6
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

I was admiring your 'formica' (pic 1) which is reminiscent of a similar era
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 3:47 pm   #7
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Plenty of that here Mark, the house is furnished in unashamed 1960s modernity!

Steve
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 3:59 pm   #8
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Great!
 
Old 15th Jul 2017, 5:02 pm   #9
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

How about a set of low voltage bulbs, a quick re-wire to put them in parallel not series and then run it to your heart's content via a 12v transformer? Radiating limitless amounts of kitsch in all directions. Christmas tree flashing bulbs could enhance the effect.

David
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 6:17 pm   #10
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

My late aunt brought one of those back from a holiday in Italy in the mid 1970s... She gave it to me but alas it got thrown out years ago.

Mine was a series chain of bulbs as you might expect. It did run on UK mains, but I remember it getting hot enough to soften the plastic and then one of the bulbs failed. They were wire-ended, and we couldn't find anything to replace it, so my father re-wired it with 8 bulbs and a suitable wirewound resistor. When the next bulb failed we gave up.

If you plan on using it, I would suggest either a series resistor or some kind of transformer to drop the voltage at the plug pins to around 200V (at the highest). That's less than it was probably designed for but the lower heat and longer bulb life would be worth the slightly dimmer light.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 7:01 pm   #11
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler View Post
How about a set of low voltage bulbs, a quick re-wire to put them in parallel not series.........
It's quite possible this is unique, owing to its extreme naffness and likelihood that most examples have been thrown away. If it has any historical value it must lie in its originality. It does have its original box, after all.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 7:04 pm   #12
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Parts of Italy were on 150 volts at one stage though most likely this gondola is designed for 220 volts. I would put a 1N4007 diode in series with it thus giving an effective voltage of around 170 volts.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 7:21 pm   #13
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Excellent! We had one as well, came out every Christmas till bulbs burnt out, might still be in the loft - somewhere.

Alan
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 7:26 pm   #14
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

I agree that is probably designed for 220 volts, and running it at 200 volts or a bit less might be prudent.
It may well contain 10 lamps in series, in which case replacements are very hard to find.
Might be worth fitting say 6 volt lamps, 10 in series and running from a transformer at say 55 volts.
The reduced voltage will be safer, and the wattage reduction will reduce risk of heat damage.
Retain the originals of course in case they are needed in future.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 7:47 pm   #15
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Mine had an odd number of bulbs, I think 9 but perhaps 11. Two rows down the sides of the cabin (same number of bulbs in each) and a lantern at the bow end. All wired in series.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 7:54 pm   #16
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

A diode is always a simple way to underrun lights of this type, but flicker may be a problem. It's easy enough to experiment though.
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 7:56 pm   #17
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Colourstar View Post
Plenty of that here Mark, the house is furnished in unashamed 1960s modernity!
Surely, you meant to say 'mid-century'
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 8:02 pm   #18
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Quote:
A diode is always a simple way to underrun lights of this type
A capacitor would do as well, less flicker too.
 
Old 15th Jul 2017, 8:52 pm   #19
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

È così brutto, che è bello!

That would have been just the thing to have visible on the long, low sideboard as you tucked into a meal that began with prawn cocktail and ended with Arctic roll ..... And if your friends dared criticise it, you need only remind them that you had been to Venice, and they had not!
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Old 15th Jul 2017, 8:54 pm   #20
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Default Re: The Gondola...... some period tat!

Quote:
Originally Posted by mark_in_manc View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colourstar View Post
Plenty of that here Mark, the house is furnished in unashamed 1960s modernity!
Surely, you meant to say 'mid-century'
Ha! Very true Mark.

Thanks to everyone for the interest this piece of plastic tat has generated. It's nice to know that it has rekindled childhood memories for at least a couple of you.

There are indeed nine bulbs- you'd have thought they might have stuck one at the, er, blunt end of the boat to make it up to ten.

A 150v input seems to creat a nice glow and sufficient brightness (as seen in the photos) with the bulbs nicely under-run. I'm using a cumbersome step-down transformer I had knocking around just to get the thing going. Long term, the diode idea would be the way to go, so I will do a bit of experimentation.

Steve
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