A product of NOMA, these very large figural lights are called Dresden Fancy Lamps, and were an attempt to introduce a figural light with a replaceable light source. The large painted glass envelopes were imported from Germany, and the lamps were assembled in the United States. They were first distributed in 1929. These units had several distinct disadvantages that made them almost unusable. First, their weight made it hard to decorate, as they would not remain upright. Secondly, the parts that held the actual light socket were made of dissimilar metals, causing them to corrode and fuse together, making lamp replacement impossible after a year or two. A third disadvantage was that the paint flaked off horribly, as shown in these pictures. These issues, plus the fact that they were a high priced product offered for sale at the height of the Depression, led to their discontinuance in 1933.

UPDATE: Bruce Feddema, a friend and fellow collector, has reported that he recently added a Pine Cone Santa to his collection, similar to the one pictured above. The major difference is that on his example, the metal components are all made of brass. His parts were fused together as well, and when Bruce applied a small amount of penetrating oil to begin to separate the pieces, a clear liquid began to ooze out from where the pieces were joined. Bruce is certain that this liquid is old lacquer, used to keep the brass parts from tarnishing. He speculates that the heat from the light bulb inside the Dresden light caused the lacquer to melt, and as the light went through repeated cycles of heat and cold, the lacquer eventually got so thick and heavy that it fused the parts together.

It seems logical to assume that the manufacturers of the metal parts realized that the dissimilar metals they were using were causing problems, and at some point switched to an all-brass construction. However, the lacquer they used to keep the metal from tarnishing eventually caused the same fusing problem they were trying to avoid! My thanks to Bruce for this most interesting information.

In 1929, NOMA issued this box art for the first time, exclusively used to promote their new outside light strings. The printing quality for this particular box design was not very good, and it is most often found with rather severely faded and/or misaligned printing. For some reason, perhaps cheaper Depression era inks, the box seems to be more susceptible to fading than most, resulting in weak colors. This is a book style box, and the string contained within uses the then new C-9 outdoor swirl lamps, with General Electric's newly patented high quality inside coloring process, insuring that the paint could not scratch off.

Here's another example of a twinkling outfit, this one by NOMA. Circa 1929, the twinkling device is practically identical to the Gacor set discussed on the previous page, even down to the metal sockets. I believe it is safe to assume that NOMA either purchased their twinkling devices from Gacor, or by the time this set was made, NOMA had purchased the Gacor company or patent rights. This NOMA box is very typical of the other sets that were sold by the Company, with the only difference being the word "Twinkler" added in small letters. This outfit sold for $5.98, and like the Gacor outfit, was not a big seller.

Offered by Peerless, this is an unusual set containing intermediate base round GE Mazda lamps. Originally sold as outside painted bulbs in 1927, the lights were not popular as Christmas lamps and by 1928 the more appealing flame or swirled shaped bulbs had replaced them. In an attempt to re-introduce the cheaper to manufacture round bulbs to Christmas decorators, GE offered an improved version of the lamp with inside coloring to last longer as in the outfit above. But, just as before, people preferred the more traditional cone shaped flame bulbs, and  the rounds were no longer marketed as Christmas lighting by 1930.