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| This late 1920s set of Reliance
lamps proudly proclaims the use of MAZDA lamps in the outfit. Many
Reliance outfits were later to use Japanese bulbs, as the company was
actually an importer and did not make lamps or cords themselves. |
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| Here is a typical early 1930s
outfit by Royal. The set uses C-6 type miniature base lamps and has
attractive mottled Bakelite light sockets. |
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| Quite hard to find, these
ornament lights were sold by Reliance in the late 1930s. They are
particularly hard to find in working condition, as the filaments in
these lamps were found to fail quite prematurely due to the heat
retained inside the silvered glass envelopes. |
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| These plastic star lights were
sold by Paramount for several years beginning in the late 1930s. Quite
pretty when lit, the stars were often damaged by the heat from the lamp
within, and the points of the star are often twisted and distorted.
Paramount would later use the same base parts used in the stars for
their bubbling lights. |
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| For comparison purposes, shown
in the top two pictures is NOMA's first year issue of Bubble Lites from
1946. The traditional biscuit style bases were colorful and long
lasting, and proved quite popular with both American and Canadian
buyers. In 1948, due to the fact that many competitors were also
selling bubble lights with biscuit style bases, NOMA changed their base
style to a more "modern" saucer shape as shown in the bottom two
pictures. Sadly, these saucers were not successful, as there was not
enough space between the plastic and the light bulb within, and the
bases warped severely. In 1949, NOMA sold through the last of their
saucer type bases and returned to their famous biscuit style. |
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| Identical in almost every way
to their American counterpart, this set of late 1940s bubble Lites from
NOMA of Canada is a typical set sold by that company. In the
early days of bubbling lights, tube colors were the same in both Canada
and the US. In later years, Canadian colors were different- brighter
for the most part, and included shades of green and yellow not offered
in the United States. |
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| Here is a set of replacement Bubble Lites
from NOMA of Canada, circa 1947. The lights were meant to be sold as
individual replacements from this countertop box. |
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| Circa 1955, this set of NOMA
Bubble Lites has only eight lights, and was intended to sell at a more
attractive price than did the larger set of nine lamps. Lamps run eight
in series burn hotter, and it is easy to find bubblers with heat damage
that have been burned in eight socket sets. |
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