Vintage Non-Laser Pointers

[Eidetical]

In the "post your vintage pointers" thread, I posted a pic of a couple of schoolroom wooden stick pointers to make a point, but thought it may not be appropriate for the thread. Besides lasers, I've collected a number of other kinds of pointers including flashlight pointers, planetarium pointers, and pointer sticks, and extending pointers. The oldest planetarium pointer I've found to date is this one made by C.P. Richter around 1954. The linked pages from a journal from that year includes a new product introduction for it on page 111, saying it was made for use at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.

https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4234&context=jclc

 

[Eidetical]

Flashlight pointers use a lens to focus a lamp's filament onto a screen. Those made by Rowi used a proprietary lamp with an arrow-shaped filament. This one made by Williams, Brown & Earle has a classy design with its chromed extension, boat switch, and smaller diameter lens. It used a lamp with a linear filament.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Not a laser but can be laser related. I can check laser dye solutions etc. I recently picked up a old English spectrophotometer, as my workplace were going to chuck it out and get it collected by a metal scrap man. Its now under my desk in my department instead. There's no way that was going for scrap. It's too big and heavy for me to take home though unfortunately. So it will remain living at work until I find a better arrangement.

Information is loose, but it appears to be a 1970's unit. Possible range 220-750nm. And its already considered a museum piece.

Pye SP 30 U.V. spectrophotometer | Science Museum Group Collection

Pye SP 30 U.V. spectrophotometer, double beam. range 220-750 nm. Serial No 221325.

collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk

Me testing the monochromator to see what different wavelengths look like.

 

[Thorsteenster]

Flashlight pointers use a lens to focus a lamp's filament onto a screen. Those made by Rowi used a proprietary lamp with an arrow-shaped filament. This one made by Williams, Brown & Earle has a classy design with its chromed extension, boat switch, and smaller diameter lens. It used a lamp with a linear filament.

View attachment 74866

That would be a sweet host for a laser!!