One of the more unusual incandescent lamps to surface among collectors were those produced by the Elblight Company of America. Such lamps are fitted with an unusual type of porcelain base with two sharp pins protruding downward. Only small fragments of information are known about these lamps but recent information has surfaced that now helps the collector understand how these lamps were used.

The following excerpt appeared in the November, 1906 issue of the Merchant's Record trade publication and has been kindly shared by Christmas lamp collector George Nelson:

A genuine novelty in the way of electrical decorations has been produced by the Elblight Company of America, Electrical Decorators, 36 East 23rd St., New York. Their device will appeal immediately to window dressers on account of its convenience. The Elblight Cable is a heavily insulated cable electric cable. The lamps, which are made in all sizes, are constructed with small metal spurs so they can be attached to the cable at any point. All that is necessary is to push the spurs of the lamps through the insulation of the cable a perfect contact is established. On account of their simplicity the Elblight Cables and Lamps can be used by anyone, no matter wheather he has any knowledge of electricity of not. They have been approved and listed by the National Board of Underwriters. The Elblight Cables and Lamps can be purchased at a very reasonable figure or they can be rented at low rates.

The following advertisement also appears in the aforementioned publication:

Recently another variety of this lamp was discovered and is shared here from the collection of Don Lachie. Don's lamps are much smaller than the first example shown at the beginning of this article. The lamps are painted in festive colors suggesting a Christmas decorative theme. Since the lamps are not marked, it is unclear if they were manufactured by Elblight.

 

The Europeans also had a cable piercing lamp. This lamp was made by Philips in Holland and features the same type of spiked base. This 5 candlepower lamp probably dates to the early 1900s.

 

Offsite references:

• The Elblight, Edward Covington, Early Incandescent Lamps
• Electronic Bulb Signs in Fin de Siecle New York City: Technology, Spectacle and Commerce, Margaret Weigel, Abstract
• Lighting a Revolution, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution 1979 & 1992, pp.63 (Elblight photograph).

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