Carbon Filament bulb advice- anyone?

[Chris W. Millinship]

It`s quiet in here isn`t it? Where is everyone? Anyway....

I got a couple of antique carbon filament bulbs recently and would appreciate everyone`s advice, if you know anything. Both are small 2-loop carbons, about 4-1/2 inches tip to base and I`m pretty sure from the earlier 1900s...

The first is this unidentified lamp...



The patent label in the stem has a diamond/kite shape shape symbol printed over the text...



Does anyone recognise this symbol? Perhaps you have a bulb with this same patent label that also still has its outer label intact too? I`d be very interested to identify it and know any other info about its manufacturer.

The second one is this which still carries the outer label saying "NEW TYPE PLANET" and appears to have been made by the Imperial Electric Co in Philadelphia...



The stem is quite unusual and not like any other 2-loop carbons I`ve seen so far, short and has a wider flatter press. No patent label either...



Has anyone seen these before or have I landed me a more uncommon one here? Again I`d be interested to know.

Well if anyone recognises either, or has any information about them, I`d love to hear from you! It`s been too quiet in here lately, time things perked up again- there are currently 102 members, surely some of us have questions to ask or info to share? Let`s make this forum interesting again! (OK I`ll stop whinging now, sorry...)





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-chris
electriclights.tripod.com

[Tim]

Hey Chris!

 

The patent label in the stem has a diamond/kite shape shape symbol printed over the text...Does anyone recognise this symbol? Perhaps you have a bulb with this same patent label that also still has its outer label intact too? I`d be very interested to identify it and know any other info about its manufacturer.

I'd bet the farm that you've got a Femco bulb here with the kite logo on the patent label. "Femco" was a name used by the Franklin Electric Manufacturing Company that had offices based in Hartford, Connecticut and a factory located in Middletown, Connecticut. I don't have any information to tell me when the company started operations but the advertising material I have dates to around 1909-1910 or so, probably slightly after your bulb was made.

The symbols that show up on these tiny labels leaves a nice clue when that outer label is gone - it's usually a miniature representation of the larger paper label that would have appeared on the outer glass of a bulb. The book "The Electric Incandescent Lamp, 1880-1925" by Ed Covington has a guide to identifying these symbols.

I'm afraid I don't have any info on the New Type Planet bulb - looks like an early label though. Both look like nice clean bulbs - nice find.

Hope this helps a little,

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-Tim
BulbCollector.com
DewCollector.com

[This message has been edited by tim (edited April 26, 2001).]

[Chris W. Millinship]

Thanks Tim, that`s definately a great help. I`ll have to get a hold of a copy of Ed Covington`s book sometime, but I`m all spent out on flashlights right now so it`ll have to wait a bit. I do look on his site from time to time to look for info but since it`s just one long page it takes forever to load here through my slow connection which puts me off most of the time. Great site though, I must go back soon, it`s been a while.


Both look like nice clean bulbs

They were very mucky when I first got them, but I gave them a good clean with window-cleaner spray so they`re good as new now! Nice clear glass too, no darkening.

Thanks again for your help.





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-chris
electriclights.tripod.com