Retro style lamps

Until a few decades ago, Edison lamps served only as a source of light, they were a necessary element in everyday life. But over time, everything changes. The life of the familiar things around us also changes. Now they are called "retro" lamps.

In their period of existence, a new round has appeared, now their main function is not to emit light, but to serve aesthetics, to fill the space with another 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 a long time, reliably and will be available to everyone. Progress has gone far ahead and now you can find LED, halogen, fluorescent lamps on store shelves. In the modern world, lamps in the "retro" style are usually called the Edison lamp, in honor of its inventor.

Antique lamps are produced by many companies in Switzerland, Denmark, China, Holland and in other countries:

• Danish brand Danlamp specializes only in high-quality products, the service life of this manufacturer is 3 times longer than that of other companies. A feature of this brand is a warm, natural glow.
• Righi Licht AG manufactures vintage lamps in Switzerland, the company has been operating since 1906. The products are durable. A special feature of this company is that the most important elements are still assembled by hand at the factory, thereby guaranteeing a long service life.
• New Dutch brand Calex manufactures designer lamps using 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 furnishing items in almost any online electrical store.
• A large assortment is represented by sites Chinese manufacturers, enticing with a low price, while the quality of the goods is very low.

When buying these vintage things, you should pay attention to the marking, it indicates the optimal voltage that should be observed when using them. With an increase in voltage, even by insignificant indicators, the service life of antique lamps is significantly reduced.

Lamps in the "retro" style are not necessarily "hanging pears", they can be completely different: long, barrel-shaped, round, oval, rectangular and others. Glasses also have different shades, they can be with different inclusions, golden dusting, decor. The standard glass color for Edison lamps is amber.

The main highlight of the old lamps is the tungsten filament, which, bending, creates a special pattern inside the glass "dome" of the device. Basic shapes of 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 are not a surprise for the future owners of these vintage things, it is worth understanding their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

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

• a standard cartridge is suitable for their operation;
• with alternating current, the flicker is not so noticeable (this is important for work in factories);
• manufactured for a wide variety of voltages (from fractions and up to hundreds of volts);
• when operating on alternating current, there is no hum;
• Edison lamps do not cause radio interference;
• have original shapes.

Disadvantages:

• not the longest service life, only 3500 hours;
• the surface heats up a lot, so the lamps should not be decorated with plastic or easily melting objects, especially straw, it can instantly flare up from overheating;
• they have a high power consumption.

Seven ways to create unusual decor with used vintage Edison lamps:

• Royal luxury. To paint the used lamps with spray paint or any other, decorate with artificial pearls, rhinestones, ribbons, or other beautiful trifles. Can be used as Christmas tree decorations, wedding decorations and other celebrations.
• Glass menagerie. To do this, you need to carefully remove the base, immerse a figurine of an animal inside the lamp, for example, a turtle brought from vacation, you can pour sand under it, put dried algae, this will serve as a reminder of a fabulously spent vacation in a distant, hot country. Or, you can surround the polar bear with pieces of cotton wool sprinkled with glitter. Put the plinth back in with a blue satin ribbon.

• Contemporary art: hanger bulbs. Remove the base from the lamp, thread a screw into it so that its tip is outside, fix the screw with glue and insert the base back into the lamp. Dip the lamp into the cement mortar and let dry. Drill a hole for the screw in the wall where the hanger will be located, insert a plastic dowel and screw your hanger lamp into it. The original design of your apartment is ready: this is not just a hanger, but a real work of art.
• A fragrant torch of the Middle Ages. Remove the base from the lamp, pour oil (essential, aromatic) inside the lamp, make a hole in the base, stretch the wick (it can be made from a sea rope or rope). Fasten the base (you can fix it with glue or attach a border glued to the edge of the base and to the lamp to hold it) so that one edge is in oil and the other is outside (like a candle). The torch is ready to use, you just need to set it on fire and feel the subtle graceful scent that will envelop your entire space.

• Spring kiss. Make a hole in the base, glue graceful chains and ropes so that you can hang this structure like a garland. Hang this structure in your apartment, in the country, pour water into the lamps and put flowers in them. Spring has come to visit you.
• There is a pear - you cannot eat it. Wrap the old light bulb with twine (the rope used to tie up cakes in Soviet times), make the tail of the "pear" from a tree branch, attach it to glue. Before starting the winding, the glass case should also be smeared with glue, you need to start winding from the bottom, making a curl at the bottom of the lamp and then, according to the principle of a snail, rise higher to the tail. This decor element will add spice to your kitchen.
• Lamp sculptures. They can be glued together, forming balls, stars, animal figures. Decorating with rhinestones, paints, ribbons, bows, you can create comfort and an atmosphere of magic in your home.

A retro lamp is a versatile item in decor; it can be painted, suspended, filled with several of these items in vases, and used for household needs.

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