Fresnel Theater Projector Floor Lamp from Lita, France, 1950s

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A vintage French theater spotlight by Lita, still standing on the rolling tripod it was originally built with, a genuinely … Read more A vintage French theater spotlight by Lita, still standing on the rolling tripod it was originally built with, a genuinely rare combination, since most surviving Lita projectors long ago parted ways with their original stand.

Lita was a French manufacturer of lighting and spotlights, producing fixtures for theaters, photography studios, film and television sets, and shop windows through the mid-twentieth century, alongside a line of garden and interior lighting. The brand's standing within French lighting design extended beyond the stage: in the 1950s, Lita also produced decorative wall lights designed by Jacques Biny, one of postwar France's notable lighting designers. Lita continued independently until 1974, when it was acquired by La Compagnie des Lampes together with fellow manufacturer Projelux, a company later renamed Mazda and folded, through a long chain of mergers, into Philips in 2002.

Spotlights like this one belonged to a category of compact Fresnel projectors used wherever a small, professional, directional light source was needed, minor stage productions, photography studios, film and television sets, and shop window displays among them. Their compact housing made them easier to position precisely than the larger stage units, while still using the same Fresnel lens technology, adapted from lighthouse optics, that let a single fixture throw either a tight spot or a soft flood.

This example carries the model's signature feature, a distinctive crest-shaped fin rising from the top of its streamlined, shell-like housing, a detail collectors specifically look for. The beam still adjusts from spot to flood using its original knob. What makes this particular piece genuinely uncommon is the tripod itself, Lita's own original rolling stand, built on wheels so the spotlight could be repositioned quickly during a production. Most surviving Lita spotlights are found on generic or replacement stands; this one keeps the fixture paired with the tripod it was born with.

The lamp has been rewired for safety, fitted with approximately 3 meters of electrical cord, and keeps its original E27 fitting and its original light switch, mounted directly on the body. The spotlight measures 25 x 20 x 15 cm. Mounted on the tripod, the total height adjusts from 108 to 206 cm. I have official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs,
designer records,
or other literature sources and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising
from
misattribution,
European Plug (up to 250V).The wiring of this item may be original and might need replacement, if not specified otherwise. See less