Old Display case type bulb - help identifying

[Freshaire]

I have a very old custom built liquor cabinet that contains a light fixture which has in it what appears to be a showcase bulb. Pictures are attached.

The bulb is 10 7/8 inches long, total length, 1 1/4 inches in diameter with a brass base at each end.  There are no threads on the bases, the bulb clips into it's holder on each end.  Each brass end is 3/4 inch long by 3/4 inch diameter with a spot of solder on the very ends.  The bulb has a mirror coating on about 1/2 of the circumference of the bulb so as to reflect the light downward into the cabinet.

The markings on the brass end of the bulb were printed with ink of some sort and are difficult to read but they appear to  be the following, "220/225-25  Philips 4804".  The 4804 is particularly difficult to read and may not be correct.  The interior of the bulb appears to contain a glass rod that runs the length of the bulb and has affixed to it very tiny arms that support the filament from end to end.

Any help anyone can give would be very much appreciated.  The bulb has burned out (broken filament) and I would like to obtain a replacement.

Thanks in advance for the help.  If you need clearer pictures, please send your email address to freshaire@frontiernet.net.

[Frank de Vries]

Hi there,

This is -at least in the Netherlands (Philips is a Dutch company)- a relatively common bulb on flea markets. I'm afraid that I cannot tell you the dates, but it has probably been uses for indrect lighting.

Worth 5 euro each (?)

Best wishes

Frank

[Tim]

This looks like a Linolite bulb - common in Europe but difficult to find here in the USA.  I'm not sure where you are in the world, but searching the various online lamp sellers should produce some results, though the mirrored finish may be hard to duplicate in today's bulb?  Perhaps this bulb is still made by Philips?

[Frank de Vries]

Hi Tim,

You are right. Philips has produced -as far as I know- the current model, and a frosted linolite model. My intuition says that this bulb is from the late fifties or the sixties (in the years after WW2 there were very limited resources for producing fancy bulbs). The voltage indicates that it has been used in Europe, e.g. the Netherlands. A rough way to determine its age is to look at the philips logo:

http://www.philips.nl/about/company/local/history/historyofthebrand/index.page

sorry this is in Dutch. It states: from 1926, the waves appeared in the logo (but without the stars). Stars started to appear in 1930. From 1938, the shield and letters "philps" were added. In general you will either find "philips" alon on the bulb (before 1926), a circle with stars and waves (1930-1938) or the circle+stars+waves+shield (from 1938).

Take into account my remark about WW2 which started in 1940 and ended in 1945 in NL (followed by a  decade of poverty) and you may be able to determine its age.

Frank

[Freshaire]

Thanks very much for your help (both of you).  I'm not a bulb collector, but am just trying to find a replacement for this bulb.  You have both given me some good leads that may be useful.  If you know of any specific on-line bulb sellers that have a replacement, please let me know.  I live in Minnesota, USA

There is no logo on the bulb, just the word "philips" and it is very difficult to make out, so based on Frank's discussion, it must have been made before 1926.

Thanks again for your help.

[Mónico González]

I agree with Tim. This one is a "LINOLITE" or linear incandescent lamp, aka "SOFITTEN" in German or simply "SOFITO" in Spanish. The lamp shown is a half-mirrored striplight reflector bulb, one of the four types in wich these ones were (and still are) made, along with clear, soft white and inner or outer frosted. Philips released these ones in 60 watt, outer frosted (really glass-powder coated) some years ago, but they suffered from an annoying "peeling" effect when scrapped with any hard object.
Here in Spain there is an special lamps manufacturer called "LAES" (L?mparas Especiales, Sociedad Limitada, or in English: Special Lamps, Limited.) whose speciality is precisely the "sofitos". They are making all kind of these lamps not only for national market, but for export too. The main drawback is that these lamps are 230 volts rated, so, if you are interested about some of their products but in a special version (i.e. for 120 volts), you must get in touch with they.
Here is the link:

http://www.laes.com/Productos%20incandescencia/SOFITOS/SOFITOS.htm

Good luck!
M. Gonz?lez.

[Freshaire]

Muchas Gracias Monico! 

[gnildir1]

found a company in France, but the bulbs are 12" long..  http://www.conrad.fr/tubes_en_linolite_depoli_p_19103_19107_225506