the Kentucky Lamp co?

[Chris W. Millinship]

Does anyone here know anything, however small, about the Kentucky Lamp Co, of Owensboro KY? I only ask because this....



...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 ? ) but any info would be very interesting to read, and gratefully recieved. ?


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.... ?



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[Scott]

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.

[Ed Covington]

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.

[Dave]

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.

[Chris W. Millinship]

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.





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[bgraham]

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.