# 1920 light bulb tester



## RICK BOYD (Mar 10, 2008)

* Light Bulb Tester *

*Maxfield Parrish, American Art Works Inc. *
United States, Coshocton, OH, 1924-1934 
Colorless glass, wood base; Light bulb tester holds 12 lightbulbs.
Overall H: 69.5 cm, W: 53.5 cm, Diam: 29.5 cm 
95.4.261 
Electric lighting was slow in coming to the American countryside. In the 1920s, lamps and bulbs were not the routine purchases they are today. Customers who wanted to test bulbs before purchasing them would use a bulb tester in their local hardware store. This nearly complete tester, with its period bulbs, is a rare find. It was made about 1925 by American Art Works Inc. in Coshocton, Ohio, for the Edison Mazda lamp division of the General Electric Company. The logo, which shows two knaves facing each other while they appear to be discussing or contemplating a light bulb, was designed by the American painter Maxfield Parrish. This logo first appeared—without the light bulb or the General Electric trademark—on the cover of the November 10, 1921, issue of Life magazine.


----------



## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

Pretty cool find.


----------



## Idaho Abe (Nov 28, 2007)

*Old Light bulbs*

Pretty cool tester I remember some of the paper sleeves over the old light bulbs in my Dad's shop had mazda label on them. Dad also had an old Radio/TV vacuum tube tester that stood about 6 feet high and customers could test their tubes before buying new ones. It got thrown years ago Darn


----------

