Retro style lamps

A few decades ago, Edison lamps served as a source of light, they were an essential element in everyday life. But over time, everything changes. The life of the familiar things around us is also changing. Now they are called - lamps in the style of "retro".

In their period of existence a new coil appeared, now their main function is not the emission of light, but serving aesthetics, filling the space with other warmth, not mechanical, but cozy and homely.

Back in 1879, Thomas Alva Edison made a technological breakthrough by creating such an incandescent lamp that can last long, reliably and be accessible to everyone. Progress has gone far ahead and now LED, halogen and fluorescent lamps can be found on the shelves of stores. In the modern world, retro-style lamps are commonly called Edison lamps, in honor of its inventor.

Bulbs of antiquity produces many companies in Switzerland, Denmark, China, Holland and in other countries:

• Danish brand Danlamp specializes only in high-quality products, the life of this manufacturer is 3 times longer than that of other firms. A special feature of this brand is a warm, natural glow.
• Righi Licht AG produces vintage lamps in Switzerland, the company has been operating since 1906. Products have durability. The peculiarity of this company is that the most important elements are still assembled by hand at the factory, thereby guaranteeing a high service life.
• New Dutch Brand Calex manufactures designer lamps according to new technologies, uses colored glass.

• The largest company in Russia for the production of "retro" lamps and accessories for them is a factory of electrical goods "Gusev". You can order such original items of environmental design in almost any online electrical appliance store.
• Large assortment of sites present Chinese manufacturers, luring low price, while the quality of the product is very low.

In the process of buying these vintage things you should pay attention to the labeling, it indicates the optimal voltage that must be observed when using them. With an increase in the voltage even by insignificant indices, the lifetime of vintage lamps is significantly reduced.

Retro-style lamps are not necessarily “hanging pears,” they can be completely different: long, barrel-shaped, round, oval, rectangular, and others. The glasses also have different shades, can be with different inclusions, gold plating, decor. The standard Edison glass color is amber.

The main highlight of vintage lamps is a tungsten filament, which, while curving, creates a special pattern inside the glass “dome” of the device. The main figures of the tungsten filament:

• spiral;
• Christmas tree;
• sheet;
• squirrel cage;
• hairpin;
• a loop.

Retro-style products, like other products, have their pros and cons. So that some moments would not be a surprise for the future owners of these vintage things, it is worth understanding their strengths and weaknesses.

Advantages:

• modern energy-saving lamps contain mercury, and in the models of Edison it is absent;
• LED lamps need a transformer, and "retro" lamps do not need it;
• high color rendering index;
• resistance to temperature fluctuations (both to heat and cold), well tolerated by condensate;
• thanks to the tungsten filament, they have an incredible glow;

• A standard cartridge is suitable for their operation;
• at alternating current, flickering is not so noticeable (this is important for work in factories);
• manufactured at the very different voltage (from fractions to hundreds of volts);
• when working on alternating current there is no buzz;
• Edison lamps do not cause radio interference;
• possess original forms.

Disadvantages:

• not the longest service life, only 3,500 hours;
• the surface is very hot, so the lamps should not be decorated with plastic or easily melted objects, especially straw, it can instantly flare up from overheating;
• they have high power consumption.

Seven ways of unusual decor with used vintage Edison lamps:

• Royal luxury. Paint the used lamps with spray paint or any other, decorate with artificial pearls, rhinestones, ribbons, or other beautiful trifles. It can be used as Christmas-tree toys, decorations for a wedding and other celebrations.
• Glass menagerie. To do this, carefully remove the base, immerse inside the lamp a figure of an animal, for example, a turtle brought from a holiday, under it you can pour sand, put dried algae, this will serve as a reminder of the fabulously conducted holiday in a distant, hot country. Or a polar bear can be surrounded by pieces of cotton sprinkled with glitter. Insert the base back, gluing a satin blue ribbon on it.

• Modern art: light hangers. Remove the base from the lamp, thread the screw into it so that its tip is outside, fasten the screw with glue and insert the base back into the lamp. Dip the lamp into the cement mortar, let it dry. Drill in the wall where the hanger will be located, the hole for the screw, insert the plastic dowel and screw in your hanger lamp. The original design of your apartment is ready: it is not just a hanger, but a real work of art.
• Fragrant torch of the Middle Ages. Remove the base from the lamp, pour oil into the lamp (essential, aromatic), make a hole in the base and stretch the wick (it can be made of a nautical rope or rope). Fix the base (can be fixed with glue or attached to hold the border, glued to the edge of the base and to the lamp) so that one of its edge was in the oil, and the other outside (like a candle). The torch is ready to use, you just need to set on fire and feel the delicate elegant aroma that will envelop your entire space.

• Spring kiss. Make a hole in the basement, glue elegant chains and ropes so that you can hang this design like a garland. To hang this construction in his apartment, at the cottage, pour water into the lamps and put flowers in them. Spring has come to visit you.
• Pear lies - you can not eat. Wrap an old light bulb with a twine (a rope that tied cakes during the Soviet era), make a pear tail from a sprig of a tree, attach it to glue. Before starting the winding, the glass case should also be spread with glue, you should start winding from the bottom, making a curl in the lower part of the lamp and then go higher to the tail by the principle of the cochlea. This decor element will add spice to your kitchen.
• Lamp sculptures. They can be glued together to form balls, stars, and animal figures. Decorating with rhinestones, paints, ribbons, bows, you can create a cosiness and an atmosphere of magic in your home.

The retro-lamp is a universal object in the decor, it can be painted, hung, filled with the help of several such products of a vase, used in household needs.

You will learn more about retro lamps in the following video.