Enclosed arcs as shown in the upper center of this photo were rather common and a popular item with GE until around 1912. At that time grandeur innovations in tungsten lightbulb technology brought about filament lamps that were much more energy efficient, brighter and longer lived thanks to their advanced concise tungsten filaments and nitrogen filled bulbs. As a result arc lights quickly fell to their death knell during the teens. Interestingly, GE offered retrofit kits for many years whereby the earlier enclosed arc light bodies could be retained with an easy changeout of the innards to a then-modern street lighting service filament lightbulb.

Interested in vintage street lights and related street scenes? Please refer to:

http://www.vintagestreetlights.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintage_streetlights

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintage_insulators

If you have any questions please feel free to write!

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Joe Maurath, Jr.

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