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MANUFACTURER'S HISTORIES, page 3

1931 picture-postcard of the original Royal Electric Offices in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Circa 1937 photo of the NOMA offices at 520 and 524 Broadway in New York City. The NOMA buildings are the ones colorized, and take special note of the NOMA sign at the top of the building at 520 Broadway. These buildings were originally owned by The M. Propp Company, and were acquired by NOMA when that company merged with them in 1928.

Below are pictured a few examples of some of the typical early dealers of electric Christmas lighting: 

Jonathan Francis Feinmette of Great Falls, Minnesota had a clock shop for many years. During Christmas, he sold General Electric lighting outfits. Note the sign on the outside of the building to the left, directly under the light. It reads: "XMAS Outfits" and shows Santa decorating the tree.  This picture was taken on December 2, 1909.

Electric Christmas lights were sold in department stores, Five and Dime shops, and hardware stores during the earliest days. There would always be a large display of lights in the center of the store, as well as several smaller displays at the check out counter. The manufacturers would provide colorful signs for posting both outside and inside the store, and often would provide countertop stand-up displays as well. The sign to the left was provided by the Propp Company to its dealers in the early 1920s. Few of these signs remain today, and to come across one in displayable condition is quite a stroke of luck. This particular sign was found in the attic of an old hardware store in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. It was being used to cover up a group of small holes made by a long-ago visiting woodpecker, who decided it was great fun to make the holes in The Mynatt Brothers Hardware rear addition and living quarters. It has survived quite well, despite being held in place with a large number of cobbler's nails.

Cooke Hardware in Boston, Massachusetts proudly advertised that it carried both regular electric lights and electric Christmas lights.
The picture is dated November 14, 1918 on the back.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS       HISTORY       THE TIMELINE       MANUFACTURER'S HISTORIES       THE PATENT PAGES       

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