Hi guys, I am new to here...

I enjoy collecting some old 20w of T12 tubes and I am looking certain kind of hanging fixture (1950's ?) fluorescent preheat style 3 or more of w20 tubes together.    

Yesterday, I went to thrift store and found out they have hundreds of old tubes, mostly T12. also have many old vintage electric motors, some fixtures, and more.. I did see one very large white mercury vapor bulb almost size as football! probably 1000W. I am not fan collects of MV bulbs but I thought here might want one.

I'll try post my pictures here soon.      

I went to thrift store again and took some pictures in there... maybe one of you guys might interest into?

The electric motor look like 1930's to 1940's ! 

I wish to have some of those black enders tubes and any colored flourescent tubes
this guy got tubes up the wazoo here. i wish i had a place like that.

I wish to have some of those black enders tubes and any colored flourescent tubes
this guy got tubes up the wazoo here. i wish i had a place like that.

The black enders pretty rare these days  and I was able saved few of them. I don't see any colored glass fluorescent tubes. I did see they have some box NOS of 30T12 and box NOS of 20T12 but I think its GE or Sylvania silver enders. The one huge MV 1000watt bulb looks unused as well.     

Great find!

That fixture with the large bulb almost gives me the impression that it maybe a large warehouse-style incandescent fixture with a self-ballasted mercury vapor lamp in it.  Would have to see if there is a ballast somewhere for it.

Great find!

That fixture with the large bulb almost gives me the impression that it maybe a large warehouse-style incandescent fixture with a self-ballasted mercury vapor lamp in it.  Would have to see if there is a ballast somewhere for it.

There no self ballast this MV bulb for sure, I couldn't find the ballast behind of reflector housing, so I guess someone toss this away because it does not work without the ballast     But you are right its original large warehouse-style supposed be with large incandescent bulb. 

Wouldnt this be a Habitat for Humanity Restore store? BTW the old Sylvania 20w White is from 1952, the GE F20T12/CW is from 1989.

Wouldnt this be a Habitat for Humanity Restore store? BTW the old Sylvania 20w White is from 1952, the GE F20T12/CW is from 1989.

Yes thats correct Restore store which I went there sometime, big store really. I am sure there more vintage tubes in there which I don't collect it whole things. I have two same old new Sylvania 20w white but one of them won't lit up and I put test with 30,000 volt neon ballast it lit up weak and reddish looking probably lack of vacuum.

Man I am thrilled to have found a site that has so... many people interested in older style lamps and fixtures: Personally I think that Mercury Vapor lamps were by far a better source of lighting than Sodium; the light is more atractive and the lamps will often burn far longer than the actual life expectancy. I once had a couple of old style photocells, that were in the old style colored casings and had the older style circuitry, form around the 50's I think. Those were very durable!