1940-1950

LIGHTING OUTFITS: 1940-1950

This decade saw the beginning and the end of World War II, which had a devastating effect on the manufacture of Christmas lights. As the need for war materials grew, most American companies turned their production lines to whatever they could make that would help the war effort. Metals of all types were in short supply, and as a result, no electric Christmas lighting outfits were made during the War years. Old strings that were in warehouse storage before the War began were sold for as long as the stock lasted. After that, Americans had to make their old sets last a few years longer, just as they had to do during the previous decade in the Depression. This probably accounts for the large variety and quantities of vintage lights that are available to the collector. Lighting outfits were carefully packed away in their original boxes for use in future Christmases, often with interesting little notes hand-written inside the boxes as to what room or window they went in. Once again, Americans had to make do with what they had. Bubble lights, soon to become the best selling Christmas lights in the world, were actually invented in the late 30s, but NOMA, the holder of the patents on the lights, had to wait until after the War before they could be manufactured. This section will cover both the carry-over lights from the Depression era, as well as the War-era box art, post World War II novelty light sets and bubble lights.

During the War years, NOMA was unable to produce the Christmas decorations and lights they were so famous for. Along with the production of airplane parts and even bombs, the company also kept their name in front of consumers by making a line of children's toys. Made out of wood or composition, these products did not use up valuable War resources and were actually good sellers. Although a bit primitive for the time, War era children happily embraced these toys, and most of the examples found today are well played with. Even after the War, NOMA continued to produce other products such as toys, wood and plastic kitchen accessories, and even distributed electric motors and washing machines. The example above is a simple train that was sold in 1942.

The earliest War era outfits were merely issued with their Depression era box art, but as the packages ran out, the outfits were offered in boxes with simpler, less colorful graphics. Certain colors of ink were in short supply, and the boxes were printed in unusual colors or in lackluster versions to save on supplies. For comparison purposes, I've pictured a few sets below.


The top boxes are the War-era issues of popular lighting outfits, and below them are their Depression-era counterparts. Dating War era outfits can be difficult, if not impossible. For the Reliance and NOMA Strings of Color Light boxes, war era issue is certain, as these were the only years the off color boxes were distributed. But the NOMA Decorative Light Outfit and the Propp set were sold in these boxes in the early 1930s and again in the early 40's, when NOMA went back to some of their earlier box styles in an effort to sell old stock and outdated strings during the War. NOMA offered the older box art in advertising campaigns designed to invoke feelings of nostalgia, sort of a "Remember when.." theme, referring to the good times before the Depression and the War. It apparently worked, for by 1942 all of their strings were sold out, and NOMA advertised in leading magazines that: "With peace, NOMA Christmas Lighting Products will be back..."

Here's a typical wartime era multiple outfit by Amico, a division of NOMA. As stock was running out, sets like these were offered in quickly-designed boxes to get them on the market as soon as possible. As a result, the collector can often find outfits that are combinations of different boxes and strings, all made by the same company. This can make dating and identification somewhat difficult. After the War, multiple wired outfits like these became the predominate-selling sets, and the older series wired outfits were on the way out.

Circa 1940, this novelty outfit by Reliance uses a well-made cord and socket set, and featured color-matched miniature base C-6 cone lamps in each bell.
This Paramount set is cheaply constructed, and has sharp edges where then wires enter the bell covers. As a result, frequent shorts occurred with this outfit. The set uses unusual "flashlight" miniature base bulbs that are round and clear, and contains two spares that are located just below the blue and green bells. The outfit is circa 1940.
The Paramount Star was very well made, and is put together with screws and metal clips to allow the lamp within to be changed. Circa 1941.

Circa 1941, these attractive Star-Lites from Paramount are well made and interesting. Although it is not terribly convenient, the Stars have replaceable lamps and are manufactured of heavier than normal plastic. Despite this fact, they did burn rather hot, and it is easy to find heat damaged examples like the disassembled blue Star above. Later in this decade, Paramount would use the same base fastening method employed with these lights on their new bubbling lights, at first called Kristal Snow Animated Candles. Sold in boxes of 10 as shown above and sets of 8 with a lighting string, the product was discontinued in 1949. CLICK HERE to see the patent for these lights.

Outside of Box	Inside of Box	Disassembled Star	Front and Back Views of Assembled Star