Vintage Pifco Fairy Lights

[liberatordeluxe]

I bought a set off Ebay today. Glitter Lights I think they were called.

I think most fairy lights today are just general purpose i.e. year round use whereas the ones from the 70's to late 80's were regarded as real Christmas Lights.

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Regarding the older single insulated cable can these still be sold in charity shops? Were there incidents of people getting electric shocks off the older sets to make them go over to double insulated cable? A lot of it is common sense but I don't recall from personal memory anyone having problems with them but I was rather young at the time.

 

[bellingmad]

To liberatordeluxe

Hi Liberatordeluxe
I have been reading your thread about the Pifco fairy lights, I agree with you these lights look way more 'Chrismassy' than the LED versions!!
I have a set of Pifco Lanterns and Carriages from the early 80s, we used to put them on the tree when I was a kid, and then later... wait for it, around the archway between the living room and dining room!! They are still working.. I think.. I have them packed away with the decorations tho, I will see if I can get them out to take a pic for you.. I havent used them for a few years but most of the bulbs still work! I cant ever part with them!
I remember the London lights too... There is a store in Newcastle called Fenwicks and they used to have a great Christmas Decs dept (they still do!) and I remember buying Lametta to put on the christmas tree! Very Retro now I guess..
Are you building up a collection of them? I can imagine as the years go on they will become more sought after!
I will try and get the pic on soon for you !
Cheers Ian

 

[bellingmad]

Another thought

Have you seen any of the old PIFCO adverts? They were class!!
Not sure if there are any knocking about on youtube?

Here's a woolworths christams ad....they dont make em like this anymore!!

 

[bellingmad]

one more!

This one has nothing to do with your thread....but its so 80s!
CHECK IT OUT!

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https

 

[bellingmad]

pic

I found the pic!

 

[keymatic3203]

oh yes

I ceratainlty do collect vintage christmas lights, with what must be going on over a hundred sets. Pifco have always been my favourite, with in my opinion the Mini lanterns being my favourite of all, they are my first memory of looking up into a tree and just being facinated.

And in my mind these coulours and designs say christmas in a way flashing leds will never do. Even a push in bulb is too modern for me.

For me growing up in the 70's it was all those electrical manufacturers who accompanied my growing up, and still are special to me, as music might chart someones growing up. Names like Pifco, Qualcast, Black and Decker, and of course Hoover and Hotpoint would be the sound track to my life.

Mathew
This is part of my hall christmas decorations, a swag with pifco london lights and pifco gleam lights. on the other swags are cinderella lights and jewel lights, merry lights, harlequins etc.

And if you think collecting washing machine and christmas lights isn't enough I've also got a collection of electric mowers from the 60's to the 90's

 

[electron1100]

Like minded

Hello Mat
Like you I was a 70s kid and yes pifco lights figure heavily in my current collection of lights, cheap and tacky yes but fun.
I have also been collecting the Osram candle lights from the 50s, here is a picture of the latest set I bought from ebay, they have metal bases with crocodile clips to attach them to the tree (or whatever else takes your fancy), and occasionally from one set you get a little buzz if you touch the bases, see what fun these old sets can be

Gary

 

[bellingmad]

to keymatic 3203

Loving the pic of the Pifco lights ...its nearly time to put them out too! Yeahh!!

 

[optima]

Pifco

Another vintage Pifco 20 light set of mine, don't remember what these were called.

 

[fido]

We had some poinsettia ones similar to these:

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www.ebay.com

 

[optima]

Lights

These lights are not Poinettia's

 

[optima]

Sorry Phil, i think they are.

 

[keymatic3203]

Hi optima

those are called `carnival lights' and looking at the white bulb holders, those are from the mid to late 80's.

Mathew

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Hi Bellingmad,

Terribly sorry for taking ages to reply but I haven't been on the net in ages!

I have started to build up a collection of Pifco lights but so far I just have the Glitterlites. Other than Ebay I have no idea where one finds them. They go for silly money on Ebay in my opinion.

I do have a set of Noma 'Pickwick' and 'Winter Crystals' too.

I saw in Roys of Wroxham that they have Premier petal lights back again however the lighting string is on a loop rather than straight line construction which seems daft.

One thing I have noticed is it was easier decorating with the old transparent green cable compared to the heavy duty one of today!

Ben

 

[liberatordeluxe]

Wilko Lights

I bought a set of 35 berry lights from Wilko but they look like Premier 35 cherry lights. Does anyone know if Premier make Wilko's Christmas lighting for them? Can't be that many lighting manufacturers can there?

 

[srad4d]

my London lights

Hi all I was just looking up bulb voltage for my Pifco lights when I came across this discussion

So here's a picture of my Pifco London lights with screw in bulbs, checked to be working as I packed them away today for another 11 months or so.

But I also have a set of 20 smaller Pifco lanterns with push in bulbs. So can anyone advise me what voltage the push in ones are as I need to find replacements for some of them

Thanks

 

[mcduffpth]

pifco lights

Hi there, 20 lights sets push-in and screw-in use 12v 1.1w replacement bulbs however not all push-in bulbs have the same plastic collar so aren't all interchangeable.
I have a preference for the old woolworths light sets with the transparent green twisted cord and green lamp-holders, these sets were very resilient and shades/bulbs were all interchangeable - I have resurrected many old pifco lights by using the pifco shades on woolworths lights.
eBay is the best place for sourcing vintage bulbs and sets,
hope this helps,
Grant

 

[teeter59]

Post# 709379

I am always searching for Cinderella lights by Pifco. I have found a few but they are always out of my price range. My grandmother had them when I was a child and I would love to happen upon a set. If anyone has some for sale, let me know! I have included pictures below. Tee

 

[artcurus]

I have about 50 of the double flasher sets from the late 60's-late 70's. They are an ungodly pain in the ass to maintain.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cry...798571?hash=item41b4f4876b:g:b78AAOSwYIxX9WU1

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www.ebay.com