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BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Antique Bulb Discussion => Topic started by: flyingAfarm on May 20, 2009, 04:19:54 pm

Title: I T- H. Elec Co. bulb?
Post by: flyingAfarm on May 20, 2009, 04:19:54 pm

Hello Bulb Pro's I am a bulb ignoramous, however I found some bulbs in my great grandfathers collection and one I find interesting. Around the brass  it says MANF'D BY I T-H. ELEC. CO. LYNN, MASS USA on the other side it says PATENT JAN 7 1879 MAY 12 1885 Patent applied for. On the bottom of brass says F-11-90, also instead of the brass threading into the lamp, the lamp threads into the brass. It does work, can any of you guys tell me what it is? Thank you so much.

Title: Re: I T- H. Elec Co. bulb?
Post by: Tim on June 16, 2009, 03:24:12 am

Hi - sounds like an early Thomson-Houston carbon filament light bulb, probably circa late 1880s and very desirable among bulb collectors.  The base is also known generically as a "Thomson-Houston" type base and was actually fairly common on many older bulbs before standards came into place.  Nice find!  I have one too, but the condition is rough.  For comparison see:

http://bulbcollector.com/gateway/Incandescent_Lamps/Carbon_Filament/1881-1900/Thomson-Houston/image/c0190.jpg