"The decorators who have been resorting to the incandescent lamp to heighten illuminating effects are no longer satified with the combinations which can be worked out with the ordinary style of lamps. The call is now for novelties, and it was this demand that led J. L. Somoff of New York to introduce a number of styles of fancy incandescent lamps of low voltage. The sales of such lamps have been steadily growing and, the new year's trade is said to be as brisk as it was at Christmas.There are many wealthy residents in New York and other cities who, not satified with the ordinary pear lamps of 16 candle power, have been importing fancy lamps from Germany and France. But with the accompanying cuts it will be seen that all that could be wanted in this line of lamps can now be obtained on this side of the water. The illustrations show some of the novel lamps.

"Fig. 1 is the 'Prism' lamp, which produces a most beautiful display of rainbow colors. The effect is superior to that of the prisms suspended from a gas chandelier. The 'Torch' lamp, Fig. 2, is another one designed by Mr. Somoff for theatrical purposes, etc. It has four lenses fused to it and all the surface around them is frosted. The effect of this combination is to project the light in the form of four condensed beams. Last December 450 of these lamps were shipped to a European theatrical company to be used in the production of the opera 'Robert le Diable.' The lamps were mounted on torches which contained small storage batteries. Little vanes at the bases of the lamps revolved with the least motion of the air and turned the lamps, the beams of light striking in every direction.

Fig. 3 is the 'Lantern' lamp, English pattern. The storage battery lanterns, as made in England and imported into the United States, have a very shallow reflector and the bull's eye quite close to it. There is no room for any other but a flat lamp. The lamp is suspended from three springs, two of which constitute the terminals. Fig. 4 is a cut of the 'Candle' lamp after the design of A. de Khotinsky, manufacturer in Berlin. A large number of these lamps are yearly imported into the United States on orders from wealthy New Yorkers. Mr. Somoff made this style of lamps as the new protective tariff makes their importation expensive.

Fig. 5 is the 'Miniature Candle' lamp, whose globe is of corrugated and twisted glass. Fig. 6 represents the 'Corrugated Sphere' lamp. In this the corrugations on the globe produce the pleasing effect of distorting the rays of light. This lamp is also made with the channels of the globe plated with silver, so that it presents a large number of alternate strips of crystal glass and mirrors, and looks as if a great many filaments were enclosed within the globe.

Fig. 7 is a miniature wall bracket. Figs. 8 and 9 are "Striped lamps, the strips being alternately red, blue, milk glass and crystal. These lamps are especially suitable for flower baskets. Placed in the center of a flower the lamps assume the color of the flower. Fig. 10 is a surgical lamp of English design. Fig. 11 is an antiseptic surgical lamp for use by physicians. The part surrounding the filament is of clear glass, and the rest, serving as the handle, is of opaque milk-white glass. Any dirt that might prove infectious can thus be easily seen and washed off."

An example of lights installed by Somoff is the following²:

"J. L. Somoff of New York recently installed a plant in Mr. Wilmerding's house on Ninety-third street, New York, consisting of 250 miniature one candle power lamps of low voltage. The lamps were connected in series of ten on a 110 volt circuit. From ten to fifteen of these lamps were distributed in each room, and were enclosed in colored Japanese lanterns, making a very pleasing effect. The expense for such a plant, it may be mentioned, amounts to no more than in the case of 16 candle power lamps which require 3·10 ampere. Mr. Somoff also furnished a diamond dealer in Minneapolis, Minn., with some of his "grain" lamps, which are used to show the brilliancy of his diamonds. The lamps are placed in close proximity to the gems, but are hidden from view, and the light is concentrated upon the stone by a miniature reflector."

"J. L. Somoff of New York has added to his many styles of miniature incandescent lamps a four lens theatrical torchlight from 6 to 10 candle power, each lense being a different color. He now makes also a crystal lense 3/4 inch in diameter. The lens is made in different sizes and can be used in microscopes...."