Pro-Lights

Don Keller of Kel-Lite fame left Kel-Lite in 1972 after being bought out by Norm Nelson. Immediately afterwards Don wanted to get back into the flash light industry as this was his passion. A company called VSI wound up backing Don Keller to create Pro-Light. The Kel-Lite was often marketed as "The Professional Light" which is where the name came from. VSI was similar to Brinkmann, they were a consumer products conglomerate mostly specializing in outdoor products. Shown below is a VSI ad from 1976 showing a large head Pro-Light as well as their mini light. They had several models with the most popular being their aluminum D cell small head.

VSI sold in 1976 to another company called ITT. ITT insisted upon using a union shop as part of their marketing for Pro-Lights. After the cost analysis came back the lights were astronomically more expensive using union labor. As such ITT decided to produce them only in plastic to make up for the cost difference. Don Keller then went to John Bianchi, a gun leather manufacturer, and continued to produce the aluminum style Pro-Light as a Bianchi B-Lite. ITT went out of business shortly thereafter and Pro-Light ceased to exist after only 5 or 6 years in business total around 1979. Shown below is my early ITT Pro-Light. It's a 5D and was well used. I had to make a couple parts for it to get it back into working order but it lights and works now.

Also, inside the head is a nice touch from Pro-Light. It is a bulb chart. These are the flange base PR bulbs. I've done a post on them in my Maglite blog here.

As always I'm looking to buy vintage and rare aluminum flashlights. Please let me know if you have any, top dollar paid.