BulbCollector Forums
BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Antique Bulb Discussion => Topic started by: Alan Franzman on August 05, 2004, 03:25:00 am
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I just acquired a bulb that looks very much like a "Balafire" flickering filament bulb, with an interesting twist: it's, how shall I call it, unbased? self-based? How about just plain weird! Please see photos.
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb01_tn.jpg" HEIGHT="200" WIDTH="149) (http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb01.jpg) (http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb02_tn.jpg" HEIGHT="200" WIDTH="155) (http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb02.jpg) (http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb03_tn.jpg" HEIGHT="150" WIDTH="200) (http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb03.jpg) (http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb04_tn.jpg" HEIGHT="191" WIDTH="200) (http://mysite.verizon.net/res0fab4/images/Bulb04.jpg)
Click any thumbnail image above to view larger version in new window.
It has its own glass cone-shaped base fused to the bottom of the bulb envelope. There is some glue residue and a bit of green paper-like material remaining on the lower edge of this base. The bulb color is just like a Balafire bulb, a pale champagne-golden yellow with a metallic sheen, applied to the outside (ending just a bit below the line where the base is attached). Inside the bulb, there's what looks like a short piece of filament which may barely be visible in the third photo. The two ends of this are down at the very bottom near where the base is fused on. From there it arcs up and touches the side of the press. The glass of the envelope is slightly deformed where the ends of this bit of wire lie against it, so apparently it was right there while the glass was soft at some point, or the wire itself got hot enough somehow to make these marks. Can anyone tell me what this is for?
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Alan "A.J." Franzman
Email: a.j.franzman at verizon dot net
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[This message has been edited by Alan Franzman (edited August 05, 2004).]
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Hi Alan,
Great pictures!
The first thing that came into my mind is this thing looks like a radiometer with the same glass fused base. As with the radiometers that I?m thinking of, this lamp probably had a paper that covered the cavity of the glass base on the underside. This would explain the paper remains that you mentioned around the base of the lamp. I?ll go way out on a limb and say that it may have been made as a science demonstration device, like a radiometer. It doesn?t look homemade?
Cool bulb!
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Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
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Both the Balafire bulbs and the radiometers were (maybe the latter still are?) made by Robert Kyp, so it's safe to say this is one of his and it had a thin felt-finish piece of paper on the bottom like the radiometers do. I haven't seen another "baseless" Balafire but he must have made more. I can't offer any thoughts on the stray wire; must be a little error.
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Anyone know of Robert Kyp is still around? If still living perhaps he could be contacted...
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Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
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Indeed it is a genuine Kyp Balafire lamp. He took out a patent some time in the 1970s on this design with the glass base, a spin-off from the radiometers he was also making.
He and his wife are still around but retired now in Florida. They left the factory in Chicago in the hands of one of the staff, as far as I know it is still going. They used to go back occasionally and make up another batch of filaments to keep the factory going, and although its been a year since I was in touch with either of them, I think the factory is still going on as before.
Best regards,
James
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Speaking of radiometers, I happen to have one that is inside an envelope that looks just like that balefire lamp. I don’t know if it is made by the same person, but I can post pictures of it.
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http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/rad1.jpg
http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/rad2.jpg
http://www.metal-halide.net/bulbcollectorforumpics/rad3.jpg
Here are some pictures I took.? Sorry about the terrible background, I didn't feel like taking out the normal setup I use.
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I know that this is an old thread in the forums, but Robert Kyp's nephew is a member of this forums now...