For Sale Large box of Sylvania #2 blue dot flash bulbs - 60 total

Laroche · Oct 13, 2020

Hello and welcome to my first classified ad here on Photrio!
If you haven’t seen any of my posts, I’m cleaning out my uncle’s darkroom. It was used between 1964 and 1984, and since my uncle is a hoarder, it was just filled up with stuff.

Most of that stuff has sat in the darkroom until last month. Now we’re trying to get it to people who can use it.

First up, an unopened box of Sylvania #2 flashbulbs. 60 total (at least that’s how I interpret the markings on the box).

$75 or best offer (emphasis on “or best offer”) plus shipping.

Thanks!

AgX · Oct 13, 2020

You might check if there still is that blue dot on all bulbs and not having discoloured. As on this depends the usability.
My personal experience with bulb flashes even that old tells me that discolouring is utmost rare. But these bulbs you got practically never existed in Germany.

Donald Qualls · Oct 13, 2020

Wow. Not even "blue" bulbs, those are the OLD variety. Bayonet base, IIRC. That size hasn't been made in forty or so years.

IIRC, the only reason the dots would lose their blue is if the bulb envelope is cracked and has let moisture in, or the bulb has failed to fire already.

AgX · Oct 13, 2020

The box says "Blue Dot", thus I expect the bulbs to be dotted. The shipping label is from 1965.

As said I have only rarely found discoloured dots. But at that price a buyer likely want to be sure.
The problem with old bulbs is not cracking, but the sealing at the wires having gone bad.

Laroche · Oct 13, 2020

Thanks everyone. This entire box has been in my uncle’s darkroom since it was purchased in the 60s (!!!) in Montana. No chance of moisture getting in there!
My initial preference is to sell it completely as is -an unopened box- as it’s less likely I’ll ruin them by opening the box!

Donald Qualls · Oct 13, 2020

AgX said:
The box says "Blue Dot", thus I expect the bulbs to be dotted. The shipping label is from 1965.

I was referring to the blue filter layer that was used on bulbs after color film became more prevalent, to give the light a daylight balance. If that were present, they'd be 2B, rather than just No. 2. And now that I think about it, #2 might be screw base (same size as the standard home lighting bulbs through the 20th century). I've got some of those at home, but sadly the flash holder I had that could use them was ruined by leaky AA cells when in storage during my hiatus. I'd buy these, if I had space and could spare the money...

AgX · Oct 13, 2020

Moisture as such is only a means for the indication of a leak. And not much moisture is needed. In a zero moisture atmosphee those blue dots would be even useless as indicator...

AgX · Oct 13, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
I was referring to the blue filter layer that was used on bulbs after color film became more prevalent, to give the light a daylight balance.

My misunderstanding, as I even did not expect them to be blue.

But bulbs of that rare kind (at least over here) not having the modern blue coating hardly would be an deterrant for anyone interested in bulbs of that size.

Nodda Duma · Oct 13, 2020

Bulbs with discolored dots (Usually a purple / brown) will still fire

Donald Qualls · Oct 13, 2020

AgX said:
But bulbs of that rare kind (at least over here) not having the modern blue coating hardly would be an deterrant for anyone interested in bulbs of that size.

Oh, no, certainly not. You just use them with B&W film (and apply appropriate speed adjustment for films that need it in tungsten-color light). Or use a tungsten balanced color film, or a color correction filter.

Nodda Duma said:
Bulbs with discolored dots (Usually a purple / brown) will still fire

Usually. If they're electrically okay and the oxygen pressure inside the envelope is good, they'll go.

AgX · Oct 13, 2020

Yes, of course. But in that case it is a bad thing that they fire!
As the chances are great that now they will explode, and the safety coating might not cope with that, in contrast to normal shatter.

The blue dot is intended as a safety device, not as in idicator of usability.

(But as I consider an unsafe bulb as unusable, I took the blue dot in my comment above as an indicator of usability nonetheless.)

Alan Edward Klein · Oct 13, 2020

You're sure that's not 60 packages of let's say ten each?

Laroche · Oct 13, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
You're sure that's not 60 packages of let's say ten each?

No, I’m not! That could definitely be the situation, but wouldn’t it say that somewhere on the box? I have no idea what ONE “sylvania #2 blue dot flashbulb” looks like, so I can’t measure it out to 60 of them.

Whoever gets this might just be lucky...

BrianShaw · Oct 13, 2020

It’s 60...

Donald Qualls · Oct 14, 2020

It's probably five packs of a dozen bulbs. As I recall, #2 bulbs are about the size of a 60W screw base incandescent light bulb, with the same size screw base.

From the mid-'60s, it might even not have a smaller internal package, for instance ten card stock strips with six bulbs each, semi-loose in the big box. The market for those was press photographers with a light-saber flash holder on their Speed Graphic; Weejee would have gone through a box like that in a month or less.

BradS · Oct 14, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
....As I recall, #2 bulbs are about the size of a 60W screw base incandescent light bulb, with the same size screw base....

yup. These look like clear light bulbs and put out an enormous amount of light.

Donald Qualls · Oct 14, 2020

Films were slower when flash photography was new. Last flash tech before those was loose flash powder (with which Ansel Adams almost set fire to a grade school once by mis-measuring the charge).

For Sale Large box of Sylvania #2 blue dot flash bulbs - 60 total

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