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Any Carbon filament lamp fans in this forum??

harman/kardon

harman/kardon

From the Fatherland
Subscriber
In June there is the 110th anniversary of the centennial light bulb, still working, isen't that totally amazing?

I am collector of such old lamps and most of them are still working as well.

Unfortunately it is impossible for me to catch the fascinating smooth character of the Carbon filament lamps light with my camera. I will try perhaps with another camera when I get one.

However, here is a picture of such a bulb (ca.1910) switched off. Any other fans of this amazing lamps here?

BTW don't miss to visit the centennial light bulb website!!!

Chris
 

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Well, my camera tried it's best with this bulb from 1915. Imagine a very soft smooth honey-orange-like light. Can't describe it with words anyway, pity.
 

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:yikes: That bulb is from 1915 , and it still works...:D And some say things are made so much "better" now a days:scratch2: Very neat hobby!!! and bulb :)
 
DaveElton said:
:yikes: That bulb is from 1915 , and it still works...:D And some say things are made so much "better" now a days:scratch2: Very neat hobby!!! and bulb :)
Click to expand...

Buy making todays light bulbs cheap just means they will sell more and ime expensive long-life bulbs do not last as long as stated plus the materials are hazardous to your health should they break.
 
No danger from quicksilver ( or do you say mercury?) when a carbon filament lamp breaks. :D

But anyway I take so much care of those vintage jewels that since now not a single one has broken.

The lamp from 1915 you see above, with normal E27 socket, has to be used with a converter due to it's 110V voltage. Our regular 240V would kill it instantly...
 
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hmmm

Very nice,

I have a few "antique" bulbs I found over the years.
I never did any research on them but I knew they were old.
They all still work.
I've been keeping them safe until the time comes to figure out what I have.
 
hogdaddy said:
Buy making todays light bulbs cheap just means they will sell more and ime expensive long-life bulbs do not last as long as stated plus the materials are hazardous to your health should they break.
Click to expand...

We have had two of the long-life fluorescent bulbs die within a year of being put in, while it's nice to save power, it's not worth it if they die just the same or faster. I suspect LED bulbs will be the ultimate outcome...highly efficent and a really long life, nothing toxic either. (worth noting that both Fluorescent's died in operation-not startup)

I haven't personally run across a really old bulb for sale/in something, but I have seen a couple here and there. Really cool stuff...amazing to think those old things still work, considering they were only made a few decades after "the war of currents".

You mention an adaptor for the voltage...do you also slowly raise the voltage?, I imagine that would make them last longer as well...take out the inrush amperage.
 
Oh yes... I'm a huge fan. I do not own any antique ones (yet) but I do have a couple of Paulmann Rustika 230V deco bulbs that are in 120VAC. They mimic that glow. I need to get a carbon fil bulb soon though! I'll post pics when I get home...
 
33&athird no it is not necessary to raise the voltage slowly.

tybrad that is funny that you mention the Paulmann Rustika (so they sold in US?), yes, they mimic the glow very good. But Paulmann stopped the production of all those fine lamps because fu..ing Bruxelles forbid such lamps for Europe due to their high energy consumption.

Even the Paulmann, not only the real vintage bulbs become precious rarities!!!
 
Well here is such a Paulmann which produces nearly Carbon filament light bulb glow.

At the display foto you see the costly construction with a long wolfram string on a T-shaped glass girder.
 

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So here are my Paulmann bulb pics... a very beautiful bulb!
DSCF3078.jpg


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Love these old bulbs. I have a box of modern "retro" numbers stashed away.

I have a lamp fetish- and lost out on a perfect vintage clear glass gooseneck desk lamp because I was commuting and it wouldn't have made the trip home- the store would not hold it, even if I pre-paid
It would have been perfect for one of these bulbs.
 
tybrad look at this ashtray from the twenties. (It is from the famous Rosenthal porcelain manufacture) The strings inside the ashtray are arranged the same way as in your Paulmann.

I also got some of these ones. The glow is a bit brighter than the glow of carbon filament bulbs, less red portion in the spectrum.

Very nice pictures, your camera is much better than mine.
 

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HarmanKardon said:
tybrad look at this ashtray from the twenties. (It is from the famous Rosenthal porcelain manufacture) The strings inside the ashtray are arranged the same way as in your Paulmann.

I also got some of these ones. The glow is a bit brighter than the glow of carbon filament bulbs, less red portion in the spectrum.

Very nice pictures, your camera is much better than mine.
Click to expand...

That tray is funny. Yeah, I know that the Pulmann is approximate in it's glow. Real carbon fils look like glowing red worms:scratch2:
 
tybrad why don't you check Ebay from time to time to get a vintage carbon filament lamp? (However there are some pretty good retro bulbs as well, so far they got carbon filament...)

If you find an auction and you are not quite sure about something just tell me the # of the auction and I will check the offer. :yes: (The Edison lamps (70 Watts/138 lumens) are quite acceptable retros.

It's not necessary that you (or any else interested AK member) make the same mistakes as I did in the beginning some years ago.

:)
 
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HarmanKardon said:
tybrad why don't you check Ebay from time to time to get a vintage carbon filament lamp? (However there are some pretty good retro bulbs as well, so far they got carbon filament...)

If you find an auction and you are not quite sure about something just tell me the # of the auction and I will check the offer. :yes: (The Edison lamps (70 Watts/138 lumens) are quite acceptable retros.

It's not necessary that you (or any else interested AK member) make the same mistakes as I did in the beginning some years ago.

:)
Click to expand...
Thanks HK... I'll check it out. You are opening a new OCD problem for me!:tears::banana:

Cheerful Days!
Tyler
 
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