Dave's Flashbulb Collection

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As an outgrowth of the need to find flashbulbs to put in the flash holders for my display cameras, I began a collection of flashbulbs. I am also researching the history of flashbulbs.

The flashbulb was invented in 1928, in Holland, by the Philips Glolamp Works. The first American made flashbulb appeared in 1930. It was about the size of a household lightbulb, had the same medium screw type base, but was filled with very thin sheets of magnesium foil. Flashbulbs were popular until the 1980's, when the popularity, and the resulting low price, of electronic flash made it unprofitable to produce them. We are aware of only one company that still produces flashbulbs: Meggaflash, in Ireland. There are a few sources of flashbulbs (see links below), but they consist of individuals who buy old inventory and market them to the few users who require them for specialized photography (i.e., spelunkers), and to motion picture companies that need them for use in movies.

This is what a studio flash setup used to look like:    Flash Guys   ...maybe!

The following is a list of known flashbulb models by brand. There are links to photographs of many of the flashbulbs in my collection; just click on the name of the model. If you are aware of additional brands and models that I do not have listed here, please e-mail me at dave@dlbrittain.com and let me know. 


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  General Electric
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?

  Notes

AG1 Zirconium Foil (Wire) Glass baseless     (1958)
AG1B Zirconium Foil (Wire) Glass baseless 24   (1958)
AG3B Wire Glass baseless 12   (1965)
M2         (1953)
M2 Powermite Wire   12   (1956) Higher power
M2B Powermite         (1956) Higher power
M3 Shredded Zirconium Foil Bayonet 14   (1958)
M3B-Canada Shredded Zirconium Foil Bayonet 12   Canada
M3B Shredded Zirconium Foil Bayonet 11    
5 Wire Bayonet 154   (1939)
Synchro-Press 5 Wire Bayonet     1 3/8"Dia., 2 1/2" OAL
5B Wire Bayonet 141   (1942)
5R Shredded Foil Bayonet 12   (1942) Infrared bulbs. Black infrared coating.
M5 Shredded Zirconium Foil Bayonet 12   (1958)
M5B Shredded Zirconium Foil Bayonet     (1958)
6 Shredded Foil Bayonet 6   For focal plane cameras (1939) 1 3/8" Dia., 2 5/8" OAL
6B Wire Bayonet 12   1 3/8" Dia., 2 5/8"OAL
6FP Wire Bayonet 8   Focal Plane Type, 1 3/8"Dia., 2 5/8"OAL
7 "Alco", Foil/Wire       (1937-1941)
Synchro-Press 7 Wire Medium Screw     (1939) 1 7/8" Dia., 3 15/16" OAL
8 Wire Bayonet 8   (1953) 1" Dia., 2 7/16"Oal
10 Foil Medium Screw     (1932-1941)
Flash Bar 10 Wire Array     For Polaroid SX-70
11 "Alco", Foil/Wire Medium Screw 2   (1939) 1 7/8" Dia., 4"OAL
11A Foil       (1939) 1 7/8" Dia., 4"OAL
11B (Also PH 11B) Wire Medium Screw 6   (1952-?)
S11 Foil       (1937)
Synchro-Press 11 Treated Foil Medium Screw     1 7/8" Dia., 4" OAL
Synchro-Press 15 Treated Foil Medium Screw     (1938) 2 3/8" Dia., 5" OAL
16 "Alco", Foil/Wire       (?-1941)
16A Wire       (1939)
16A Shredded Foil       (1940)
Synchro-Press 16 Wire Medium Screw     (1939) 2 1/8"Dia., 4 1/4"OAL
Synchro-Press 16A Wire Medium Screw     2 1/8"Dia., 4 1/4"Oal
20 Foil       FIRST BULB, (1930-1941)
20B Foil       (1934)
Synchro-Press 21 Treated Foil Medium Screw 5   2 3/8" Dia., 5" OAL
Synchro-Press 21B Foil Medium Screw      
21B Foil       (1940)
22 Wire Medium Screw     (1942) 2 3/8"Dia., 4 1/4"OAL
22B Wire Medium Screw 7   (1946) 2 3/8"Dia., 4 1/4"OAL
22R (Blackout) Shredded Foil Medium Screw 6   (1942)
25B Shredded Zirconium Foil        
M25B Shredded Zirconium Foil Miniature Pinless 11   (1958)
30 Wire       (1939)
Focal Plane 30 Wire Medium Screw     2 1/8" Dia., 4 1/4" OAL (1939-1941)
Focal Plane 31 Wire Medium Screw 6   2 5/8" Dia., 5 3/8" OAL (1939-?)
31 Wire Medium Screw     (1939) 2 5/8"Dia., 5 3/8"OAL
31B Wire Medium Screw     (1952-?) 2 5/8"Dia., 5 3/8"OAL
50 Shredded Foil (Wire) Medium Screw 1   (1941) 2 5/8"Dia., 5 3/8"OAL (also 4 7/8"OAL)
50B Shredded Foil (Wire) Medium Screw 1   (1946) 2 5/8"Dia., 5 3/8"OAL (also 4 7/8"OAL)
Synchro-Press 75 Foil Medium Screw     4 3/8" Dia., 8 5/16" OAL (1933-1941)
GE 600 Wire Array 1 Bar   (1982)
Flashcube Wire Cube 6 Cubes   (1965)
Flashbar Wire Cube     (1972)
Flashbar II Wire Array 3 Bars   (1978)
FlipFlash Wire Array     (1975)
FlipFlash II Wire Array 3 Bars   (1978)
High Power Cubes Wire Cube 2 Cubes   (1971)
Magicube Wire Cube 10 Cubes   (1970) Self Powered
PH8 Shredded Foil       (1953)
PH11B Wire Medium Screw 6   (1952-?)
SM (Speed Midget) Priming Compound* Bayonet     * Zirconium Metal Powder (1941) Redesigned in 1952 1 3/8"Dia., 2 1/2" (2 5/8")OAL
Supercubes Wire Cube 3 Cubes    
           
  Mazda (GE)
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
1   Medium Screw      
2A   Medium Screw      
7 Wire/Foil Medium Screw 1    
10 Foil Medium Screw 1    
11A Foil Medium Screw      
11B Foil Medium Screw      
15 Foil Medium Screw      
16A Synchro Press Wire Medium Screw      
20 Foil Medium Screw      
21 Foil Medium Screw 1    
21B Foil Medium Screw 4    
31 Focal Plane Wire Medium Screw      
50 Wire Medium Screw      
75 Foil Medium Screw 1   Largest bulb made
           
  Westinghouse 
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
AG1 Wire Glass Baseless      
AG1B Wire Glass Baseless 6    
5 Wire   3    
5B Wire   5    
11 Wire Medium Screw 1    
  Foil Medium Screw 1   Large Bulb
Flashcubes Wire Cube 2 Cubes    
Magicube Wire Cube 2 Cubes    
           
  Mazda/Westinghouse
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
20 Foil Medium Screw 1    
?? (Slightly Larger than #20) Foil Medium Screw 2    
           
  Wabash Superflash
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
0 Wire Medium Screw 1   3 13/16"OAL
0B   Medium Screw      
2 Wire Medium Screw 1   4 3/4"OAL
2A Wire Medium Screw 2   5 3/8"OAL
2B Wire Medium Screw 2    
3 Wire Medium Screw     6 5/8"OAL
3B          
3X   Medium Screw     5 3/8"OAL
20 Foil        
Press 25 Wire Bayonet     3 15/16"OAL
Press 40 Wire Medium Screw 3   3 15/16"OAL
40         Red package
40B          
Press 50 Wire Medium Screw 6   4 1/16"OAL
Blackout Superflash Hydronalium Wire Medium Screw     Infrared bulb 4 3/4"OAL
           
  Sylvania
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
0 Wire Medium Screw 2    
AG1 Zirconium Wire Glass Baseless 15    
AG1B Zirconium Wire Glass Baseless 6    
2 Wire Medium Screw 6    
2A Focal Plane Wire Medium Screw      
2B Wire Medium Screw      
Blackout 2         Infrared bulb
M2 (6 shot rotary pack) Wire Miniature Pinless 12 Yes 6 Shot rotary package
M2 Wire Miniature Pinless      
M2B Wire Miniature Pinless      
2B Wire Medium Screw 14   Package says "Formerly Wabash"
3 Wire Medium Screw 1   Most powerful flashbulb made
3B Wire Medium Screw 1   Most powerful blue flashbulb made
3X          
M3 Wire Miniature Pinless 54    
M3B Zirconium Wire Miniature Pinless 10    
M5 Zirconium Wire Miniature Pinless      
M5B Zirconium Wire Miniature Pinless      
8 Bantam Wire Bayonet 12    
Blackout 25         Infrared bulb
M25 Zirconium Wire Miniature Pinless 12   (1957)
M25B Zirconium Wire Miniature Pinless     (1957)
P25B Wire Bayonet 3    
P25 Wire Bayonet 2    
P25 Gas Filled/Primer Bayonet 3   No logo, but in Sylvania sleeve
Press 25 Clear   Bayonet      
Press 25 Wire Bayonet 12    
Press 25B Wire Bayonet 24    
25C Colorite Wire Bayonet 10   Pinkish color
FP26 Wire Bayonet 12    
FP26B Wire Bayonet 12    
FF33 Metal Medium Screw 1   1.75 Sec. flash duration; used for high speed motion picture photography.
Press 40 (Clear) Wire Medium Screw      
Press 40B (Clear) Wire Medium Screw      
40B Wire Medium Screw      
Flash Bar Wire Array 1 Bar    
Flash Bar II          
Flash 600 Wire Array 1 Bar    
Flashcube Wire Cube 23 Cubes    
FlipFlash Super 10
and TwinPack
Wire Array 2 Bars (17)    
High Power FlashCubes Wire Cube 4 Cubes    
Magicubes Wire Cube 11 Cubes    
SF Wire/Gas (O2) Filled Bayonet 10    
           
  Wabash/Sylvania
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
3 Wire Medium Screw 1 Yes w/ WW2 defense notice
Press 50 Superflash   Medium Screw      
           
  Norelco/Amplex
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
PF1          
PF1B          
PF1         Larger bulb
PF1B         Larger bulb
PF4 (Clear) Wire Bayonet 20    
PF5          
5B (Sureshot)       Yes  
PF3 Wire Bayonet 12    
           
  Osram Vacublitz
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
XM1 Wire Glass Baseless 5 Yes  
XM1B Wire Glass Baseless 5 Yes  
X0 143 Foil Bayonet 1 Very! Tubular
           
  Ken Rad
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
11 (Red package) Wire Medium Screw 1    
           
  Rex Ray
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
5 Wire Bayonet 6 Yes  
           
  West
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
5 (Osaka, Japan) Wire Bayonet 5 Very, Very  
           
  Bond
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
Press 5 Wire Bayonet 8 Very, Very  
           
  Lumex
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
M2 Wire Miniature Pinless 1 Yes  
M2B (Japan / Canada) Wire Miniature Pinless 12 Yes  
           
  Meggaflash   (Still in manufacture)
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
PF200 Wire Medium Screw     Mediumpeak; Replaces Sylvania Type 2
PF300 Wire Medium Screw     Slowpeak; Replaces Sylvania Type 3
PF330 Metal Sheet Medium Screw 3   Floodflash; Replaces Sylvania Type FF33
           
  Blue Dot
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
5B Wire Bayonet 6 Yes  
           
  Technocolor
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
5 Wire Bayonet 4   No Markings on bulb
           
  Mastercraft
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
5 Wire Bayonet 10   In Box, No Markings on bulb
           
  Amplex
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
5B Wire Bayonet 8    
PF1 My-T-Myte Wire Glass Baseless 8   Smaller Bulb
PF1 Wire Glass Baseless 8   Larger Bulb
PF1B My-T-Myte Wire Glass Baseless 8   Smaller Bulb
PF1B Wire Glass Baseless 8   Larger Bulb
           
  Philips
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
PF5 Photoflux Wire Glass Baseless 5    
           
  Duraflash
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
SM Gas Filled/Primer Bayonet 8    
           
  Misc. (& Unknown)
  Model Type Base Qty. Rare?   Notes
AG1 (Brand Unknown) Wire Glass Baseless 12    
M3 (Brand = Focal) Wire   15    
5B Wire Bayonet 13    
11 Wire Medium Screw 1    
M22 (European) Wire Medium Screw 1   Egg Shaped
P25 (Blue) Wire Bayonet 1    
P25 (Clear) Wire Bayonet 1    
ZB1 Experimental Wire Wire Leads-Baseless 2   Per Bill Cress: Only he and I have these.
Press 40 Wire Medium Screw 4    

Sources of Bulbs:
Bill Cress Photo
Meggaflash

General Information:
Graflex Organizaton

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