Vintage Christmas Tree lights

[broadgage]

I have just purchased a large supply of new but vintage style Christmas bulbs, M.E.S. 14 volt, 3 watt, clear with a ridged or corrugated finish.

I dont think that these were ever very popular in the UK, more continental I believe.

Similar style lamps in higher voltages are widely used in candle arch lights, 55 volt lamps, 5 in series or 34 volt, 7 in series.

I forsee several uses for these lamps, either 18 in series on 240 volt mains, or in candle arch fittings from an external transformer.
Another application would be for internally illuminated Christmas decorations that consist of model buildings arranged as a street scene. These seem to be designed for lighting with a real candle placed within at considerable fire risk.
The candle or any substitute miniature electric lamp is seen through the windows and these lamps should look better than the MES 12 volt pilot lamps used last year.

[bayleaf-123]

Ian E. You have missed the whole point of the fuse bulb. When one blows it has to be replaced. The replacement is in a pack of usually three bulb, one fuse and two colours. The colours last a long time, the fuse not so long, but don't worry, they can be obtained in a pack of three. One fuse, two colours!

Cheers, Weedy.

[pifcolights]

The Christmas lamps website no longer works so I assume the company no longer trades.

Regarding shaded lights are they considered more traditional and for Christmas than the plain lights we see today?

[ColinTheAmpMan1]

Originally Posted by pifcolights

The Christmas lamps website no longer works so I assume the company no longer trades.

The last time I looked, they had an extensive range, so they must have thought the trade was good. It's my guess that they only activate the website around the Festive Season. I hope so, because they are/were a good source of Christmas bulbs.
Colin.

[Nickthedentist]

This page says that they're AKA AJ Hill Electronics:

http://urlm.co.uk/www.christmaslamps.co.uk

And this page tells you their address and phone number:

http://www.192.com/atoz/business/gra...263db610f3/ml/

Maybe someone could give them a ring?

Nick

[ColinTheAmpMan1]

A brilliant (pun intended) bit of detective work, Nick!
Colin.

[paulpifco42]

Hi guys new to this forum, I see some are looking for a stockist of replacement lamps. I use Brewsters in Plymouth, still very much trading and very helpful. I've only ever bought in store but looks as though they do a postal service. Had a quick look at their web site, they don't mention much about spare Christmas lamps but they have loads. www.brewstersbatteries.co.uk. I live in London but from down that way the store has operated for years.

[McMurdo]

Here's the link

http://www.brewstersbatteries.co.uk/...0dc84dd8cf6f34

[paulpifco42]

Thought I would share some of the vintage lights that I've managed to collect over the years. I seem to have been lucky with my finds. This is a set of Mazda Bell-Star lights, has anyone else seen a set of these? These are complete with original spare bulb and a reversible 2 pin/bayonet plug fitting, straight line construction, cloth flex and wooded red fixing bead. Only issue is some of the stars have come away from the metal holders.

[pifcolights]

Don't suppose anyone could help but are the Wilko Christmas lights made by Premier? I bought a set of 35 Berry lights and they look the same as the Premier Cherry lights. Just wondered if they were good quality lighting?

[AndiiT]

Hi,
We have a set of Wilko 35 Berry lights and they look similar to the Premier ones that I have seen, we have a had them around three years and have had a few blown bulbs including the fuse one for no apparent reason (i.e. no other bulbs had failed) but other than that they are of reasonable build quality for today's offerings.

Andrew

[HayleyJ]

Hi all
I've just joined as I picked up this thread on google after looking for vintage Christmas tree light spare bulbs. I have a set of Kingston Crystalites (Stockden above has posted a pic) which require spare bulbs. They are small screw in types that have a small flat head which the oil bubble tube sits on to heat it up. Can anyone help me get these lights lit again?
Many thanks in advance for any help
Hayley

[pifcolights]

Hello Hayley J the only screw in type bulbs I ever remember using were the E5 liliput bulbs but not 100% certain those would fit the Kingston Crystalites. Hope you get them sorted

[pifcolights]

How does one find the quality of the Noma and Premier fairy light shades compared to Pifco? I have broken 2 'Pickwick' shades and Noma inform me they are out of stock which is infuriating as I now have a set which will look incomplete. I wish light manufacturers would use metal, felt or tin instead as it all costs a lot having to replace shades made of plastic. I don't fancy getting them off Ebay as had broken things like that off there in the past.

[steptoesyard]

Are your lights the screw in ones or the later push in type?? I've got loads of spares for these if you need a few.

[pifcolights]

Mine are the W1 push in bulbs. Well would be handy yes as I have been told by Noma that 'Pickwick' maybe discontinued. A shame as I use them around my windows and don't really want to look at plain bulbs. They have zilch stock of any shades this year left so must of been popular.

[Ian E G7OLT]

Originally Posted by HayleyJ

They are small screw in types that have a small flat head which the oil bubble tube sits on to heat it up.

There was an American supplier that had these bulbs but sadly the proprietor died and the website has disappeared.

There are other ways of making bubble-lights usable again. LED lamps are used to provide the light and resistors to produce enough heat to make the tubes bubble. Here's an example in a YouTube video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkP-7JCeOtU

[Brigham]

Fitting a small filament lamp to each tube might have supplied both the heat and the light together. Far simpler.

[Maarten]

The heat transfer possibly wouldn't be sufficient if the bulb shape is anyhting other than flat.

[pifcolights]

To anyone who has led lights how do you rate them compared to the filament type and do you think they are as long lasting in durability compared to filament?