Pink Rose Figural Milk Glass Christmas Light Bulb An unusual and very attractive figural milk glass Christmas light bulb in the form of a bright pink rose blossom with three leaves at the top. It's 2-1/2" diameter, marked at the neck 16 V Made In Japan. The paint is in very good condition with almost no wear. The bulb does not light and has been converted to a tree ornament with a thread hanger tied to the top.

Circa: 1930s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

John Bull Figural Christmas Milk Glass Light Bulb This 1930s figural milk glass Christmas character light bulb is a rare one. It depicts John Bull, a fictional British character popular in the 1800s as the personification of England, much like our own Uncle Sam. The bulb is nearly 3" high and does not light. The paint is in very good condition. Marked 14 V Japan. Book value for the German version is $150 but I can't even find the Japan John Bull bulb in any of my books.

Circa: 1930s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

Double Sided Santa Claus Figural Christmas Milk Glass Light Bulb This 3 inch Japan 15 Volt figural milk glass Christmas light bulb depicts a Father Christmas style Santa Claus carrying a staff or walking stick with a toy sack slung over one shoulder. It's double sided, the same image in reverse on the opposite side. There is some typical paint loss as shown, not too bad. The bulb no longer lights but of course will make an excellent tree ornament by wrapping a wire hanger around the threaded neck or attaching a clip to the base.

Circa: 1930s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre or Post War Japan Import  

Cat With Mandolin Figural Milk Glass Christmas Light Bulb Works I believe this old figural milk glass Christmas tree light bulb depicts a cat playing a mandolin, or a banjo. I've seen it called a lion or a dog, but some of his painted whiskers remain on his face. The 3" tall bulb is marked 15 volt Japan and lights up brightly. There is some paint wear, mainly to the front of the cat's coat and his whiskers.

Circa: 1930s - 1940s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

Baby in Stocking Milk Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulb This old figural Japan milk glass Christmas tree light bulb depicts a baby peeking out from a red sock or stocking. It's 15 volts, about 3-3/8" long. Overall very good condition with some paint wear to the stocking. The bulb does not light up but of course most of these old figural bulbs are hung from the tree as ornaments, using wire or string attached to the threaded socket neck.

Circa: 1930s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

Lantern and Snowman Figural Milk Glass Christmas Light Bulbs A pair of vintage Japan figural milk glass Christmas light bulbs. The 2-1/2" snow-covered lantern lights up brightly and has only minor wear to the green paint on the glass panes. The 2-3/4" snowman carrying a closed umbrella or stick bulb didn't light when tested with a 9-volt battery but works fine as a Christmas ornament when a string or wire is tied to the socket threads. Both bulbs are marked 15 Volt Japan.

Circa: 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

3 Old Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulbs, Rosebud and Lanterns Three old figural Christmas tree light bulbs:

The first one is a scarce American-made large Mazda clear glass bulb from the 1920s in the shape of a Gifu lantern. Similar bulbs were imported from Japan but this one has a higher glass neck and more squared base and shoulder. It is marked 14V and is about 3-3/8" long. Less paint wear than normal for a bulb of its age. Book value on this bulb alone is $60 to $75.

The other lantern is a large milk glass cylinder or Odawara lantern, 3-3/4" long and marked Japan on the neck. I can't read the voltage but it's probably 15 volt. Most of the paint wear is limited to the black upper and lower bands. These were made from the later 1920s until around 1950.

The last bulb is a 1920s Japan clear glass rosebud, 2" long. The pink and purple paint is quite worn. 14 or 15 volt, unreadable markings on the neck. The bulbs no longer light but make excellent antique Christmas tree ornaments when cord or wire is wrapped around the threaded necks. All three bulbs one price.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: US
Manufacturer: Mazda and Japan Import  

Red Fish Clear Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulb An early 1920s figural Christmas light bulb in the shape of a fish, 3 inches long. It's hand painted in dark magenta pink or red with white belly white on clear glass and is quite realistic looking with silver-rimmed black eyes and well detailed scales and fins. The paint is worn away at the back of the fish but the front half, more than half actually, still has good paint coverage. The threaded metal neck is marked 14 V Japan. The bulb no longer lights but has been converted to a Christmas tree ornament with a cotton-covered wire hanger tied around the threads.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

2 Smiling Faces Figural Milk Glass Christmas Light Bulbs An unusual pair of rose colored figural milk glass light bulbs with painted smiling faces on both sides. They're round, about 2-3/4" high by over 2" diameter, marked at the necks 16 V Made In Japan with an H in diamond logo. The condition of the paint is very good with only slight wear as shown (pictures show both sides of bulbs). They don't light up and have been converted to tree ornaments with string cord hangers tied to the socket threads. Price is for the pair.

Circa: 1930s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

Lion With Mandolin Figural Milk Glass Christmas Light Bulb This 3" tall vintage 15 volt Japan Christmas tree figural light bulb is a lion playing the mandolin, painted in pink and green with yellow instrument. Some people call this a cat, but to me he looks more lionish. It does not light but can easily be converted to a Christmas tree ornament by means of thread or wire attached to the threads. The paint is in good condition with mild wear at the back.

Circa: 1930s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

Early Japanese Lantern Figural Clear Glass Christmas Light Bulb Working This cylinder or Odawara style lantern light bulb was made in the early 1920s - Japan only made clear glass figural bulbs for a short time before switching to milk glass in a futile effort to control the flaking paint (the paint flaked just as much with milk glass but it was thought to look better). The bulb is 3-3/8" long, painted in pretty pink, mauves, and greens with a bit of black. The paint isn't too bad on this one, there's some missing at the lower back and on the top and bottom. The markings on the neck are hard to read, I think they say 15V (15 volt) and Japan. The bulb lights up fine.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre-War Japan Import  

Angel Choir Girl With Metal Wings Figural Vintage Christmas Light Bulb Described in my books as a choir girl angel with metal reflector wings, this 3-3/4 inch figural Christmas milk glass light bulb is hard to find even without the wings, quite rare with them. She's dressed in a black-outlined yellow robe or gown and wears a cross at her neck. Her hair is red-dark orange. The 15 volt bulb does not light. Her paint is not bad, some wear but most is intact. The long hinged aluminum wings have an embossed all-over feather pattern. The center hinge slips into a slot molded into the angel's back and the original glue did not hold over the years - the wings have been reglued more than once.

Circa: 1930s - 1940s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre or Post War Japan Import  

Ear of Corn Large Figural Christmas Light Bulb This figural milk glass Christmas light bulb is in the shape of an ear of corn. It's a large size, 4-1/4" long, painted in green, yellow, and pink. It does not light but makes a fine Christmas tree ornament and has a loop of wire attached for hanging. The paint is in very good condition with little wear. Marked SK 14 V Japan.

Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

Cone Hat Clown Head Working Clear Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulb This 3 inch high figural Christmas light bulb is in the shape of a white and pink smiling clown face with a tall pink and blue cone hat and X eyes, painted on clear glass. The bulb lights up brightly and has only minor paint wear. Clear glass bulbs were made in the 1920s, some earlier - milk glass versions were produced later in a mostly failed attempt at making the paint adhere better. This bulb is marked 24V but I don't see anything else - I'm not sure if it's from Germany, Japan, or the USA.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

Humpty Dumpty Milk Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulb This vintage figural milk glass Christmas light bulb is Humpty Dumpty. It's 3" long and does not light up but most of these figural bulbs are used as tree ornaments by attaching string or wire to the threaded necks for hanging. The paint is in excellent condition. Marked 16 V Made In Japan.

Circa: 1950
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

Bulldog Sitting Dog Clear Glass Christmas Light Bulb This figural Japan Christmas light bulb is in the shape of a sitting dog or bulldog. It's clear glass, made in the early 1920s before the Japanese switched to using milk glass for their bulbs, 2-3/4" high. The orange-brown paint has some wear, mostly at one side and the back of the head. The bulb does not light but has been converted to a tree ornament with cloth-covered wire tied around the threads.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

Green Frog Clear Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulb An early 1920s figural Christmas light bulb in the shape of a frog, just over 3 inches long. It's hand painted in green, yellow and white on clear glass and is quite realistic looking with silver-rimmed black eyes and red mouth. There is some paint wear to the frog's head and belly area. I can't read the markings on the neck, I think it says 14 V Japan. The bulb no longer lights but has been converted to a tree ornament with a tied cotton string and metal ornament hook around the threads.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

Bird and Grape Cluster Figural Milk Glass Christmas Tree Light Bulbs Two vintage figural Christmas tree light bulbs made in Japan - a cluster of grapes and a bird. The grapes are 2-5/8" long overall and painted in shades of green rather than the more common purple. The red painted bird is 3-1/4" long. Minor paint wear typical of cold painted milk glass. The bulbs do not light but make excellent tree ornaments when hung from wires or strings tied to the threads. Both bulbs for one price.

Circa: 1940s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

1930s Matchless Star Working Blue and Amber Christmas Light Bulb This beautiful Christmas miniature light bulb is a Matchless Wonder Star, made in America in the 1930s. The nearly 2" diameter star has nine individual hand cut Czech crystal glass points in a light blue color the company called Steel Blue with an amber gem center. The Bakelite back base holds a miniature C-6 bulb and is marked Matchless Pat. Pending Made In U.S.A.

The bulb still lights up and there is no damage except possible very slight blunting of the point tips. Apologies for the dust in the photos - the bulb was stored with painted figural light bulbs and I didn't see that it needed cleaning until after the pictures were taken.

Circa: 1930s
Country of Origin: US
Manufacturer: Matchless Lighting  

Reindeer and Sleigh Working Figural Milk Glass Christmas Light Bulb This vintage Japan milk glass figural Christmas light bulb is a 2-1/2" high four-sided house or lantern shape with Santa in his sleigh on two sides, a reindeer connected by reins to the sleigh on the other two sides. The scenes are silhouetted in black on bright pink fading to white at the top. There is some wear to the black paint, not bad. The neck is marked 16 V Made In Japan. The bulb lights up fine.

Circa: 1950
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Post War Japan Import  

Pink and Yellow Birds Clear Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulbs This pair of 14 volt figural Christmas light bulbs were made in Japan in the early 1920s, before the Japanese switched to using milk glass. They're song birds in pink and yellow, very nicely molded with visible feathers, beaks, eyes, cheeks, and heads. The bird bulbs are just under 4 inches long. The pink bird has a yellow back and pink shading to white at the belly. There is paint wear as shown and the bulbs do not work. Someone has tied cloth-covered wire to the threads so they can hang from the tree as ornaments. Price is for the pair.

Circa: 1920
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

Girl in Red Dress Clear Glass Figural Christmas Light Bulb This 1920s clear painted glass figural Christmas light bulb is in the shape of a little girl in red dress and hood - possibly Little Red Riding Hood. It's 2-3/4" high, marked 24 V. There are some scratches to the paint but lots of color still remains. The bulb does not light up.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: US
Manufacturer: Pre War Japan Import  

Kewpie or Baby Doll Milk Glass Figural Bulb Christmas Ornament This unusual milk glass Christmas ornament started out as a figural Christmas light bulb. After it stopped working, someone clipped off the metal threads, removed the filament and added a metal ornament cap. The bulb is a Kewpie type child in pajamas or snowsuit, either a baby or a doll. I can't find this exact bulb in my books but a very similar one is called Wavy Haired Kewpie. The baby has very long eyelashes, a pale pink face, and is wearing red and yellow. The paint is excellent with little wear. About 3" long including the metal cap.

Circa: 1950
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

Pear Fruit Figural Milk Glass Christmas Light Bulb, Working This little figural Japan milk glass Christmas tree light bulb is in the shape of a pear and is painted red and yellow. It's 2" high and is a 15 volt bulb. The paint has some wear as shown but the bulb works fine and lights up brightly.

Circa: 1930s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

2 Austrian Standard Base Yellow Roses Figural Light Bulbs These two old figural flower light bulbs were made in Austria. They are yellow and peach colored, a little over 3" high by 2" diameter, in the shape of roses. One works fine, the other does not - the one with the most red is the working bulb. They have standard size bases, just like modern light bulbs, and would look great in wall sconces or antique light fixtures. One of these bulbs is shown in Robert Brenner's Christmas Revisited book, valued at $40 to $50 each.

Circa: 1930s
Country of Origin: AT
Manufacturer: Pre War Austrian Import