Years ago a friend who had been an employee, then owner, of Bluff City Electric in Memphis, TN sold me his stock of old radio tubes. As he was old and crippled, he asked me to go up to the second floor to get them, which I did as I had been there before. Next to the radio tubes there were quite a few NOS automotive light bulbs that I wanted to buy also because of the old and unique nature of them. He said he could not sell them and gave me a reason that these were National Mazda Lamps of various sizes and types, headlamp, spotlight, and tail lights, etc., some tipped, but they were "recalled" in the late 1917 to 1920 period (last patent date Nov 14, 1916) and he was not permitted to sell them because of the recall. The boxes all have a colorful, 1 7/8" circular glued-on-sticker for "Western Electric Sunbeam" on the side of the outer boxes. About 20 years ago he went into a coma and was dying and a family member kept the store open and I bought the lamp bulbs at probably too high a price. Later the owner died and not too long after that the place burned. I wonder if anyone knows anything about the veracity of this story? If you wish I can post pictures.
------------------
Hal Kravig, Memphis, TN
