Collector Spotlight: The Last Survivors of First Generation LPS lighting

Collector Spotlight: The Last Survivors of First Generation LPS lighting


As SOX lighting continues to disappear from roads, ports, and industrial sites around the world, photographs like these become increasingly valuable historical records.

Captured in Antwerp's port area in 2007, these images document what may have been some of the last surviving examples of this iconic low-pressure sodium lighting installation. Known for their unmistakable monochromatic yellow glow, SOX lamps once illuminated countless roads, ports, and public spaces across Europe before gradually being replaced by newer technologies.

White pigeon perched on a curved streetlight with SOX lamp against a light blue sky in Antwerp port area in 2007
SOX lamp post by a body of water with buildings in the background in Antwerp port area in 2007
SOX Lamp fixture on a white background in Antwerp port area in 2007
SOX lamp post with attached security cameras on a white background in Antwerp port area in 2007
Above pictures were taken in Antwerp port area in 2007 (now sadly gone)


Today, many of these installations have been removed, making photographs such as the above ones an important reminder of a unique chapter in lighting history.

Special thanks to a member of the SOX community Peter Van den Bossche for generously sharing these photographs and granting permission for their use. We are grateful for contributions like these that help preserve the legacy of SOX lighting for future generations.

Have historic SOX photographs, restoration projects, experiments, or collector stories you'd like to share? We'd love to feature them in a future SOX Club Collector Spotlight. Please contact us at hello@lumioostudio.com

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