The Lighting Time Table

To read the entire tutorial, you can just click on the first link and then continue to the next section at the bottom of each page. Or, you can select links below of interest to you.

PRE 1900 SECTION

Overcoming Obstacles
About Early Electric Lighting, Generators, Arc Lamps, The First Edison Socket, Menlo Park, etc.
The First Fixtures
About The Start Of The First Incandescent Lighting Fixtures
Light Reflection
About Early Light Bulbs And Candle Power vs. WATTS
Edison-Bergmann
About Sigmund Bergmann And The Start Of Bergmann And Company Lighting Fixtures
Lighting Break Down
A Quick Break Down Of Different Lighting Time Periods
Styles 1881 to 1884
Bergmann Fixtures And Styles
Other Pre-1888 Styles
About Early Companies That Sold Lighting Systems And The Fixtures That They Sold With Their Lighting Systems
The U.S. Elect. Co.
The United States Electric Company History And Early Items
The Brush Elect. Co.
The Brush Electric Company History And Early Items
Thomson-Houston
The Thomson-Houston Electric Company History And Early Items
Westinghouse
About The Westinghouse Manufacturing Company History And Early Mergers
Mid 1880's Styles
About The Start Of Electrical Supply Houses and how new lighting styles came about
Pre 1900 Sockets
About Early Light Sockets And How To Tell The Difference
1887 New Items
1888 New Items
1890 New Items
1891 New Items
1892 New Items
1893 New Items
1894-1896 Items
1897 New Items
1898 New Items
1899 New Items
Above are catalog items sold in different years. There is no space to duplicate items, so only new and unique items from each year are shown. You would need to view the catalogs for yourself to be complete as I am only highlighting items. You can view catalogs here.

EXTRA INFO
Victor Shade Holder
About The Victor Shade Holder, Atwood And The Standard Holder

I.P. Frink 1899 Items
About Frink & Wheeler
New Wheeler Inverted
Three Links About Mirror Reflector Manufacturers And Their Items And History.
Wheeler Reflector Co.
NEW - A history of The Wheeler Reflector Company and tips on how to tell if mirror has been replaced on a shade

Early Desk Lamps
Some Help In Telling Them Apart

Vitrite And Luminoid
About The Vitrite Holders And Early Vitrite History

Brush-Swan Holder
About Brush-Swan Shade Holders

Cord Balls
My cord pendant adjuster project, as well as a good history about them.

POST 1900 SECTION

About 1900 Styles
This section covers a basic into into the 1900 section covering information about the 1899 transition, electrical code changes, lighting influence, sharing and licensing of patents and then into the new section of electrical specialty manufacturers,

Electrical Specialty Manufacturers
Harvey Hubbell
This section covers some early history periods of pre Hubbell-Grier, Hubbell-Grier, Harvey Hubbell, Hubbell Company. It also covers a number of items that helped change lighting styles,

Benjamin
This section covers some early history periods for the Benjamin Electric MFG. Co, as well as a small section on Dale and The Federal Electric Company
Dale
Federal Electric

This post 1900 section continues to be under current construction

Please Check Back.

A full history of the Hubbell Company from 1888 to date can be seen on their web site at: http://www.hubbell.com/history.htm

1. It will only have the two patent dates.
   
2. The bell shaped guide is attached to the shell (not the switch inside)
   
3. This version will have a heavy pull chain compared to newer sockets.
4. It will have a flat square tip on the acorn (as shown on your right) instead of the distinct point that later models had.
5. There is no embossed word HUBBELL under the chain guide as on common 1903 shells.
6. It will have the older Thompson-Houston style socket
   
   
   The Thompson-Houston center is shown to your left.
   
   Dates 1900 - If it has two patent dates
   
   If you have this 1900 model (or one with less than 4 patent dates) we would like to purchase it from you.
   

This model has three patent dates on the shell. Aug.11th 1896, May 8th 1900 and July 30th 1901.

It is marked "HUBBELL-GRIER ELECT. CO." above the patent dates as shown to your right.

The lid screw threads into the body of the shell by use of a threaded rivet hole as shown in the picture to your left.

1. This shell has a threaded hole on the BODY and the CAP has a punched hole.
   
2. It will have the three patent dates
3. It is marked HUBBELL-GRIER ELECT CO.
   
4. The bell shaped guide is attached to the shell (not the switch inside)
   
5. It uses mica for socket switch insulation with a flat tip screw center.
   
6. This version will have a heavy pull chain compared to newer sockets.
7. It will have a flat square tip on the acorn (as shown on your right) instead of the distinct point that later models had.
8. There is no embossed word HUBBELL under the guide as on common 1903 shells.
   
   
   The Mica center is shown to your left.
   
   Dates 1901 - The shell marks were not made after 1901
   
   If you have this model we would like to purchase it from you.

This model has four patent dates on the shell. Aug.11th 1896, May 8th 1900, July 30th 1901 and

1. This shell has a threaded hole on the BODY and the CAP has a punched hole.
   
2. It will have the four patent dates
3. "HARVEY HUBBELL" above the patent dates
   
4. The bell shaped guide is attached to the shell (not the switch inside)
   
5. It uses mica for socket switch insulation with a flat tip screw center.
   
6. This version will have a heavy pull chain compared to newer sockets.
7. It will have a flat square tip on the acorn (as shown on your right) in place of the distinct point that later models had.
8. There is no embossed word HUBBELL under the chain guide as on common 1903 shells.
   
   
   
   The Mica center is shown to your left.
   
   Dates 1902 - This socket shell was not made after 1902
   
   

As above, this model also has four patent dates on the shell. Aug.11th 1896, May 8th 1900, July 30th 1901 and

1. This shell has the threaded hole in the CAP and the BODY has the punched hole.
   
2. It has four patent dates
3. It is marked HARVEY HUBBELL (without the trailing "INC")
   
4. The bell shaped guide is attached to the shell (not the switch inside)
   
5. It uses mica for socket switch insulation with a flat tip screw center.
   
6. Early examples of this shell version have the heavy pre-1904 acorn, while later examples will have a post 1904 chain finial.
7. The embossed word HUBBELL is under the chain guide.
   
   
   
   The Mica center is shown to your left.
   Dates 1902 - 1905 and shell mark not made after 1905
   Note that this shell was sold out of overstock well after 1905 and is sometimes found with different switch types.

As above, this model also has four patent dates on the shell. Aug.11th 1896, May 8th 1900, July 30th 1901 and

.

It is marked "HARVEY HUBBELL" above the patent dates as shown to your right. After incorporating in 1905 this mark was changed to "HARVEY HUBBELL INC."


This was a special offer of a factory installed patent 817485 extended guide. There was not a patent for this special modified shell version of the giude. This version worked by having a factory installed threaded hole on the shell that the guide screwed into. This version is shown in the Hubbell 1906 catalog. Early versions of this design (as shown to your left) have no threads on the guide itself. Versions from late 1905 started threading the end of the chain guide tube. This invention was replaced in 1909 with a new version that attached directly on the switch which came with much stronger connections.

This new beta guide would have allowed different lengths of guides for those using it on a fixture, but the longer it gets, the less stable it would become. The guide shown above in the beta version is thin brass that bends and deforms easily. When it is screwed in tight, it would not be a difficult task to break it off the threaded shell body making it unusable. This was the reason for adding the threads on the guide tube in the 1905 version as shown in the hubbell 1906 catalog picture to your right.

The invention shown on your left also had an added bonus of being able to attach over existing guides of other socket manufactures.


E-Z IDENTIFICATION

1. This shell has the threaded hole in the CAP.
   
2. It has four patent dates
3. It is marked HARVEY HUBBELL (without the trailing "INC")
   
4. The bell shaped guide is attached to the shell which is removable by unscrewing it from a threaded hole on the shell body.
   
5. It uses mica switch insulation with a flat tip screw center.
   
6. Early examples of this shell version have the heavy pre-1904 acorn, while later examples will have a post 1904 chain finial.
7. The embossed word HUBBELL is under the chain guide.
   
   
   
   The Mica center is shown to your left.
   Dates 1902 - 1905 and shell mark not made after 1905
   Note that this shell was sold out of overstock well after 1905 and is sometimes found with different switch types.

This model has four patent dates on the shell Aug.11th 1896, May 8th 1900, July 30th 1901 and

1. This shell has the threaded hole in the CAP and the BODY has the punched hole.
   
2. It has four patent dates
3. It is marked HARVEY HUBBELL INC
   
4. The bell shaped guide is attached to the shell (not the switch inside)
   
5. It uses mica for socket switch insulation with a flat tip screw center.
   
6. Most all of these models will have a post 1904 chain finial.
7. The embossed word HUBBELL is under the chain guide.
   
   
   
   
   The Mica center is shown to your left.
   
   Dates 1905 - 1909 and shell mark not made after 1909
   

1. The shell screws together.
   
2. It has five patent dates
3. It is marked HARVEY HUBBELL INC
   
4. The bell shaped guide is NOT attached to the shell (it is on the switch)
   
5. It uses mica to insulate the switch.
   
6. It will use a post 1904 chain finial.
   
   
   
   
   The Mica center is shown to your left.
   
   
   Dates Post March 1907
   

1. This shell has the threaded hole in the CAP and the BODY has the punched hole.
   
2. It has four patent dates
3. It is marked HARVEY HUBBELL INC
   
4. The bell shaped guide is NOT attached to the shell (it is on the switch)
   
5. It does not use mica to insulate the switch as the older switches did.
   
6. It will use a post 1904 chain finial.
   
   
   
   There is now no Mica used as shown to your left. This switch uses the wide tongue.
   
   Dates Post July 1909
   

This is the first socket example where Hubbell stopped using patent dates marked on the shells. The switch used for this model was still a prototype using some of the same parts from the older switches.

For more information on this mark see the switch types section here
Marked 50 C.P. is to be dated pre 1910. If the shell is marked 250 W, it is a post 1910 version.

Another easy way to tell the difference between these early switches is to look under the tongue. If there is a large screw under a long WIDE tongue. (as shown below), it is an older 1909 prototype switch. If it uses a nut and not a screw, it is always a newer version dating post 07/21/1910 as in patent 994588. Or If the tongue is more narrow then shown below, it could also be a newer switch using a screw as in patent number 994518. Also, older prototype switches from 1909 are also always marked on the top inside of the ceramic switch with the number 100 as shown here.

1. This shell has the threaded hole in the CAP and the BODY has the punched hole.
   
2. It has NO patent dates.
3. It is marked with the Hubbell Logo with 50 C.P. 250V
   
4. The bell shaped guide is NOT attached to the shell (it is on the switch)
   
5. It does not use mica to insulate the switch as the older switches did.
   
6. It will use a post 1904 chain finial.
   
   
   
   
7. There is now no Mica used as shown to your left. This switch uses the wide tongue.
   
   Dates Post July 1909
   

Everything about this socket is the same as the patents for the Wrinkle shell and newer switches only in miniature size. This socket is only two inches high. It comes with a miniature removable chain guide, miniature chain and acorn finial as well as the standard Wrinkle shell cap in a tiny size.

The patent on the chain finial dates this item to post 1922

RARITY 6.0

Hubbell used this finial on the first pull socket that used the tuna line silk cord .
Bryant also used the Hubbell design as shown on page 24 of the 1895 Bryant catalog.

Hubbell Catalog No. 25 (45 Year Anniversary Advertisement)

Bryant 1895 Catalog

Hubbell and some other sockets made before 1904 use these acorn finials.
It is easy to tell the difference between these and other acorns, because this acorn is heavy and solid while others are hollow and weigh almost nothing.

The tip at the bottom is round and does NOT come to a sharp point at the end. This rounded tip is flat at the bottom as if it was hammered and is almost always sharp to the touch around the edges. This tip sticks out almost 1/16th of an inch.

Note: There are some bad reproductions of this finial. Please see our pull chain section for some examples of these and how to tell the difference.

Note: This section ONLY applies to shells with the chain guide attached to the shell

CAP SCREW - THREADS ON SHELL - May, 1902 & Earlier

Notice that the cap screw on this model threads into the shell base. The method of threading into the the shell base was updated in later years. This was mostly because the base was thin and could not support the screw with confidence. A new method of threading the shell cap was developed and shown in a 1903 patent. This method of attaching the shell cap was used on the patented 1901 examples and it was also likely to have been used on the older 1900 patent as well.

It was not changed until the new shell version came out in May of 1902 which was patent approved on Feb 17 1903.

CAP SCREW - THREADS ON CAP - May, 1902 & After

Notice that the shell shown on your left does not have a threaded hole.

Also notice that the shell cap has the thread bars riveted to the cap in the picture shown to your right.

These rivets are easily noticed from looking at the outside of the shell cap. When you see that a socket has rivets on the socket cap above the screw, you know that the socket is to be dated early 1903 or later.

Stamped out shell cap hole May 1902 and before

Early Version No Rivets May 1902 to Early 1903

Early Version Inside View

Rivets on the shell cap 1903 and After

Handel Sheet Brass Tag

Though the Handel lamp Company is known to have used some Bryant sockets, they almost exclusively used Hubbell on most of their lamps.

In some rare cases you can find Hubbell and Bryant sockets signed with a Handel tag. These tags are made from sheet brass and embossed from the rear. The Handel style of marking shown to your right is after 1910 using the two stars. If the mark does not have the stars, it would be a tag made before 1910.

Any lamps that you come across with sockets that have the Handel tag with the two stars is to be dated after 1910. The sockets sometimes can date earlier. We have come across a few 1904 sockets with these Handel tags (pictured on the right) which only means that Handel put some of these tags on older socket inventory. Lamps tagged without the stars are to be dated before 1910

UNO FILTER THREADS - Post 1914

Pat No. 753077

All of the previous shell versions used a raised bead around the bottom of the shell like the one shown on your right. Either a shade or shade holder called a 'filter' was attached to the socket shell using either a threaded ring like the one shown to your left which was mounted over this bead. Or sometimes a screw clamp filter that was clamped on the tube of the socket shell. 1914 marks the year that sockets with the new UNO threads (shown below) started being put directly on the socket tubes in place of the bead.

There was a lot of old beaded shell stock, so these type shells would have still been used on items for several more years. However new designed shells of this era started using UNO threads.

Any sockets that you come across that have the UNO threads like those shown below, are to be dated after 1914.

Raised Bead Most times 1914 and before

UNO Threads Always Late 1914 and After

HUBBELL PATENTS

In some cases patents can be a good tool for dating objects.

There are some things that you will need to watch for when using patents for dates, but for the most part when it comes to Hubbell you are safer using this section rather then going by only the dates found on items.

• There are some cases where old or incorrect dates were used on shells:
  This could cause you to date the item incorrectly with the date on the item when it was in fact a much later patent.
  
  
• Cases of 'patent applied for' taking up to three years to get approved:
  This could cause you to date the item three years newer, when in fact it was sold to the public three years earlier while in the patent applied for stage. Keep in mind in these cases, it can help date it older if the date is not on the item, but newer if it is.
  
  
• Cases where parts or methods are being used already, but not actually described in an official patent until years later:

PATENT RESEARCH