Characteristics of vintage Edison lamps and examples of their use

Should I use retro light bulbs?

If you have no doubt whether to buy decorative bulbs or is it better to opt for LEDs, then first we recommend that you study the pros and cons of using Edison lamps. So, the advantages of the products are as follows:

1. They allow you to step back from existing stereotypes in the organization of lighting, making the interior exclusive.
2. Create a cozy atmosphere.
3. They work with a dimmer, so you can make romantic lighting in the room.

Among the shortcomings, I would like to note the higher cost of vintage Edison lamps, as well as characteristics inferior to LEDs: shorter service life, higher energy consumption and fragility of a glass bulb. We’ll talk about this in more detail now.

Main characteristics

So, the most important technical characteristics of Edison lamps are as follows:

• socle type for network connection: E27, E14;
• rated voltage of 220 volts;
• service life from 2000 to 3500 hours;
• color temperature from 2100 to 2700K;
• power from 20 to 100 watts;

Sizes (length and diameter) may vary depending on the shape of the bulb.

I would also like to talk about the tungsten filament, which is located inside the bulb. The number of threads can be different, up to 20. Accordingly, the more of them, the higher the cost of vintage incandescent bulbs. The shape of the tungsten filament can also be different, namely:

1. Sheet
2. Spiral
3. Hairpin
4. Herringbone
5. Squirrel cage
6. A loop
7. Spiral

In the interior, each option looks quite original, so you can choose the appropriate design of retro lamps for your own conditions.

It should also be noted that there are Edison LED bulbs, the characteristics of which differ. Firstly, the service life of LEDs is from 20 to 30 thousand hours. Secondly, LED retro lamps consume less power, because at low power they shine much better.

Well, completing the description of the technical characteristics, I would like to separately talk about the manufacturers of vintage light sources. Popular brands that produce Edison lamps are Danlamp (Denmark), RIGHI LICHT AG (Switzerland), Calex (Netherlands) and Uniel (China).

You can see the differences between the bulbs from different manufacturers on the video:

Photo Application Ideas

So we come to the most interesting part of the article - a review of the successful use of antique incandescent bulbs. So, to your attention a photo of Edison's lamps in the interior of houses and apartments:

As you can see, vintage light sources look great in combination with designer lamps, sconces and chandeliers. Also, the interior can be supplemented in an original way with the help of a garland of Edison bulbs (this idea is shown in one of the photos). We recommend that you use retro lamps when organizing lighting in the kitchenas well as in recreation areas! In the end, we recommend watching a video that shows even more ideas for using these light sources in the interior:

It will be interesting to read:

• Original chandeliers and lamps
• Characteristics of incandescent lamps
• How to make a do-it-yourself nightlight