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Author Topic: bulbs for 1920s light fixtures  (Read 7680 times)

Offline as

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bulbs for 1920s light fixtures
« on: December 24, 2008, 05:07:34 pm »
I am interested in stocking up on candle-flame type bulbs before the US energy bill rules make them scarce.  These are for candle-type fixtures in a house built in 1929.  I am wonder which versions are period-appropriate for these fixtures.  Flame-shaped, bent tip, torpedo?  Frosted?  Clear?  Any advice/input is welcome before I blow around $500 on a lifetime supply! Also, I have overhead fixtures in which I had been putting G-25 size globes.  Any different ideas for these or are the G 25s about right? Many thanks!

Offline Tim

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Re: bulbs for 1920s light fixtures
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2008, 09:38:47 am »
By 1926 General Electric was promoting inside frosted lamps, even for use in ceiling fixtures.  Period literature from GE promoted the new inside frosted lamps and compared them against the "old" round bulbs (G25, G30, etc.) saying that the shape of the new inside frosted lamps was "the one selected by artists, decorators, designers, and architects."  These lamps are virtually unchanged in general shape from those still sold today, though the color of the inside "frosting" is probably a bit different.  Of course, the older round bulbs would provide an old fashioned look, and given the year of your house, they are still not totally out of line.  It might be a better idea to study some books relating to lighting design, fixtures, etc. from this time period to see if there's a more appropriate bulb suited for the style of your particular fixture.  As for the flame bulbs - I'm not really sure.  They were produced in a white painted finish and a brown painted finish during the 1930s, but I'm not sure about the 1920s and I'm not sure what you mean by "bent tip or torpedo shape" (I'm thinking about the standard Mazda flame shaped bulbs.)

Offline bajamission

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Re: bulbs for 1920s light fixtures
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2009, 09:36:39 am »
Another great source of information is the website www.vintagelights.com.  They have about 30 vintage catalogs on their site, although only a portion is available to view for free.  Still worth the look, as you would find many examples of what you are looking for on that sites catlaogue pages.  From what I have seen from the catalogs there, the G25 would be correct.  (the number following the "G" is the size of the bulb diameter expressed in 1/8 inch multiples, so G25 would be a bulb with a diameter of 25 X 1/8 or 3 1/8 inches)
Good luck.