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Old 7th Sep 2020, 8:12 pm   #1
19Seventy7
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Default 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Hi all

I found a 1950s/60s desk lamp in my loft earlier. There's no makers or model numbers.

It has a glow in the dark switch, so I believe it to be radium painted, so don't want to keep it if it is

Anyone know if it is or not?

Thanks
'77
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 8:48 pm   #2
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

The switch might be radium coated, or it might be relatively harmless glow in the dark material.

If it glows continually even after being kept in the dark for days, then it probably contains radium.

If it glows only after being exposed to bright light and if the brightness of this glow fades during the night, then it is glow in the dark material and more or less harmless.

The second option is much more likely, small push button switches of the type pictured were often made of glow in the dark material, were made until recently, and may still be made.
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 9:31 pm   #3
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

That's a relief then, it looks to be that 'foggy' plastic like what modern glow in the dark stuff is made from, rather than painted so i'd guess it's material too.

I only got it to glow after shining my torch on it, and it faded fairly quickly from its original brightness. I've not tested it as my dad wasn't happy with it being kept in the house, so had to toss it out, but could possibly go rescue it as I wrapped it in a bag anyway, not that it'd do much.

Just curious, just how harmful can it be? Considering they still make glow in the dark things for kids, or did until recently, as you say

Thanks
'77
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 9:57 pm   #4
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

I did hear some years ago that BT had a pile of Trim Phone dials somewhere that they didn't know how to get rid of. The Trim Phone had luminous dials, though what was actually in them I don't know, but there must have been a lot more luminous "stuff" in a phone dial than a little push button switch. Most people didn't worry about living with a Trim Phone, myself included, for there was one in my first house when I moved in, and it was still there eleven years later when I moved out.
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 10:06 pm   #5
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Funnily enough i was thinking about whether it was the same stuff as trim phones, but realised it wouldn't be. They used tritium, which was radioactive but safe and only has a half life of around 12/13 years, so are 100% safe by now.

I knew it wouldn't be tritium as those are in glass tubes, almost like fluorescent lights

'77
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 10:15 pm   #6
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

The fact it only glowed after being lit by a torch rules out radium or tritium.
Tritium is also ruled out by age.

Sounds like very low risk glow in the dark material. Just searching on ebay for "glow in the dark" will locate hundreds, perhaps thousands of modern items that use this technology.
I would be pleased to use such an item.
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 10:26 pm   #7
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Did think so, as I say I was doubting it being radium paint as it looked unpainted and just plasticky.

Was my thoughts too.

You're welcome to it for the cost of postage if you want it. I've no use for it, myself. I brought it back in from outside

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Old 7th Sep 2020, 10:36 pm   #8
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Those switches are often called "Pressel switches" (The military radio collectors might baulk at that though).

I have never seen a glow-in-the-dark one, I would chuck the lamp and keep the switch.
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 11:08 pm   #9
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Quote:
Those switches are often called "Pressel switches"
You learn something new everyday! I would've originally chucked it all together, but if broadgage doesn't want it I'll remove the switch, and you can have it if you want, as I say, I've no use for it.

'77
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 11:21 pm   #10
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

In the late 1960's I had a double-ended Pifco torch with a focussing reflector at one end and a white diffuser at the other end probably made of similar stuff that could be used as a camping lamp. The diffuser glowed quite brightly in the dark just after the bulb was turned off, but the light decayed rapidly, so not much good for finding it in the middle of the night. A couple of decades ago I bought a tinlet of Humbrol luminous paint that was supposed to glow in the dark, to apply to the buttons of my phone, but it was pretty useless.
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Old 7th Sep 2020, 11:57 pm   #11
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Fluorescent fittings in caravans (I guess not brand new ones!) have those switches, many are glow in the dark so you don't trip over the dog when you go to the bathroom at night.
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Old 8th Sep 2020, 12:38 am   #12
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Those glow-in-the-dark switches were manufactured by Castelco and you can still buy them! They were quite popular at one time, along with other luminous items like Emergency Exit signs and even toys. They use Phosphorescent paint which is non-radioactive and harmless. The material absorbs energy when exposed to light, then gives off a glow for some time afterwards, starting off bright then gradually fading.

Radioluminescent paint on the other hand contains radioactive material and phosphors which give it a glow of constant brightness. For end-users, the risk from the radiation is relatively small, unless the material is ingested. The real danger was faced by people in the factories where the paint was handled. They were exposed to large quantities of radioactive material for a long time. Some became sick or even died. Once the dangers became known, it was banned or restricted. Another problem is that some materials like Radium remain radioactive for a very long time (over 1000 years).

The Tritium illuminated trimphone dials were actually quite safe for end-users. The beta-radiation from the Tritium would have been absorbed by the glass tube in which it was contained. Back in the 1980s I acquired a trimphone which was then still glowing brightly. I took it to the physics lab at Bristol Polytechnic (UWE) and tested it with a Geiger counter; the reading was the same as background so no radiation was escaping from it. The problem BT faced was when they were scrapping the old trimphones, they had a pile of thousands of dials containing Tritium. If they were all crushed and dumped in landfill, enough tritium could be released to become a hazard. Fortunately tritium decays relatively quickly, by about 50% every 13 years. I still have that same trimphone from all those years ago. The glow is now very hard to see, even in total darkness. I estimate it only has around 6% of its original Tritium remaining, after 4 tritium half-lives have passed since it was made.
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Old 8th Sep 2020, 1:50 am   #13
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

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Originally Posted by 19Seventy7 View Post
Did think so, as i say i was doubting it being radium paint as it looked unpainted and just plasticky.

Was my thoughts too.

You're welcome to it for the cost of postage if you want it. I've no use for it, myself. I brought it back in from outside

'77
By stating that I would be pleased to use it, I meant that I was satisfied that it was safe, not that I actually desired it. Sorry to cause misunderstanding.
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Old 8th Sep 2020, 1:59 am   #14
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

No problem, kind of glad you said that as I have genuinely since found a use for it. It hit me that it was perfect to see into the back of old tellies and the likes!

'77
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Old 10th Sep 2020, 1:32 am   #15
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

ISTR that back in the old days, that Woolworths sold these luminous switches.
I fitted several to bedside lamps for friends or relatives, either to replace a failed switch or because the switched lamp holder was awkward to reach whilst in bed.

Several suppliers offered battery operated bedside lamps, some of which featured luminous switches.
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Old 10th Sep 2020, 9:16 am   #16
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Default Re: 1950s / 1960s Desk lamp

Quote:
Originally Posted by hamid_1 View Post
Those glow-in-the-dark switches were manufactured by Castelco and you can still buy them!

Radioluminescent paint on the other hand contains radioactive material and phosphors which give it a glow of constant brightness. For end-users, the risk from the radiation is relatively small, unless the material is ingested. The real danger was faced by people in the factories where the paint was handled. They were exposed to large quantities of radioactive material for a long time. Some became sick or even died.
Castleco is owned by OMEG, the UK potentiometer company whose 16mm & 20mm pots are similar to the original 'Radiohm' pots. They bought the rights to Castleco in 2002. A very friendly and helpful company. I asked if the could make an antilog pot for a Portadyne Princess, which they could, but they have a minimum order quantity and minimum order value which meant it was impractical for me. (Blore Edwards couldn't make one either).

https://www.omeg.co.uk/about/

As to radioluminescent paint, I believe that a lot of deaths in factories arose because the 'paintresses' who painted numerals on watch and clock dials by hand, had the habit of putting the tip of the paintbrush between their lips to suck it to a nice point. Doesn't bear thinking about.

As a child in the 1940s, it was every boys wish to own a wristwatch with a luminous dial - it was consider the epitome of what we'd now call 'bling'. My hopes were dashed with each passing Christmas and Birthday and I never did get one. Can't say I'm sorry now!
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