BulbCollector Forums
BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Antique Bulb Discussion => Topic started by: Chris W. Millinship on January 21, 2002, 07:24:00 am
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Does anyone here know anything, however small, about the Kentucky Lamp Co, of Owensboro KY? I only ask because this....
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.millinship/kentuckysignlamp.jpg)
...arrived recently, and I`m always keen to find out more about lamp manufacturers whenever I get one with a label (which is unfortunately not that often). I know it`s not too special is this little 1900s bulb (I like it though ?(http://www.bulbcollector.com/ubb/smile.gif) ) but any info would be very interesting to read, and gratefully recieved. ?(http://www.bulbcollector.com/ubb/biggrin.gif)
Eventually I would like to put this info alongside the picture when I add it to my bulb-museum web site (if that`s OK?), although I have 2 other sites to work on before I can even start on updating that one- so it`ll be a little while.... ?(http://www.bulbcollector.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif)
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I wonder if it's any relation to KenRad,a Kentucky company that used to make vacuum tubes? Just a thought. I think KenRad was based in Louisville.
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Information is sketchy, and perhaps uncertain, but Kentucky Lamp Company was owned by one Roy Burlew, who also founded the Ken-Rad (Kentucky Radio) Corp. in 1902. The two concerns might have been combined into one. They were located in Owensboro. I think GE bought Ken-Rad in 1945 and sold it in 1987. In 1929 the concern was called the Ken-Rad Tube and Lamp Corp. In 1938 they manufactured large tungsten filament lamps. Today the concern is called MPD.
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I have a pack of Ken-Rad 10 watt S-14 sign lamps which were made by Westinghouse...so I would assume that Westinghouse had some interest in Ken-Rad. Kentucky Lamp Company was also based in the same city as Ken-Rad but I am not sure if they are related. I think Philips owns Kentucky Lamp Company now because I have seen some cheap brand light bulbs that were distributed by Kentucky and the bulbs were made by Philips...and in a few cases the brand names seem to overlap...for example Philips first marketed and advertised their cheap Worklite fluorescent lamps through Kentucky but was later asborbed by Philips. However I am not an authority on this so I can't 100% guarantee the info I provided but hope this gives you some overview...they are based on my observations.
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Thank you for the information.
Ed- would you mind if, when I get around to updating things, I included that info alongside the bulb on my "bulb museum" web site? You`ll get the credit of course.
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/ubb/wink.gif)
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Hello, this is in response to the Ken-Rad brand of bulb. I am a collector of bulbs and I have dozens of Ken-Rad bulbs. Ken-Rad is the company that was made in Owensboro, KY.