Lackner Neon Glow Clock

[Freeone]

I am new to the board and greetings. Recently, I purchased a Lackner Neon Glow clock such as the third clock from the top pictured at Lackner Clock. I do know that Lackner made clock in the 30's and 40's as well as neon signs, out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Lackner referred to all of their clocks as neon glow, although many had 7 watt bulbs. Of the Lackner models, I am referring to, that I have seen, all had a neon tube in them. I have seen several with a globe instead of a woman on the clock, as the picture has it. I have not seen any that were other than brown bakelite, unpainted. The Neon Glow I recently found was painted sort of a brown/copper color and doesn't have a neon tube but rather the 7 watt bulb. It looks original but I am not sure. Does anyone know, did Lackner make a variation on this model with a 7 watt bulb and painted in any color?

[Freeone]

I am new to the board and greetings. Recently, I purchased a Lackner Neon Glow clock such as the third clock from the top pictured at Lackner Clock. I do know that Lackner made clock in the 30's and 40's as well as neon signs, out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Lackner referred to all of their clocks as neon glow, although many had 7 watt bulbs. Of the Lackner models, I am referring to, that I have seen, all had a neon tube in them. I have seen several with a globe instead of a woman on the clock, as the picture has it. I have not seen any that were other than brown bakelite, unpainted. The Neon Glow I recently found was painted sort of a brown/copper color and doesn't have a neon tube but rather the 7 watt bulb. It looks original but I am not sure. Does anyone know, did Lackner make a variation on this model with a 7 watt bulb and painted in any color?

[Mike Phelan]

I know nothing about these, except to say that a neon (?) or more probably fluorescent lamp is not directly interchangeable with a bulb.

A fluorescent lamp (mercury vapour) needs a starter to turn off the filaments after it has "struck", a choke to balance out the negative resistance of the arc, and a capacitor to prevent you getting away some of the power that you should be paying for.

A neon lamp has a reddish-orange glow and needs a few thousand volts to work.

[Scottie-TX]

I believe LACKNER did make neon clocks in the 30's and 40's. I've seen them listed on eBay. These were much larger clocks but generally not as large as nor as sought after as the CLEVELAND neon clocks which seemed more prolific in the 40s and 50s. Yours was definitely not neon. It's too small to have been neon. They had not developed neon technology with very small, lightweight switching supplies that didn't require large heavy power transformers. Yours appears to be what is called "edge lit". An interior lamp illuminated the two translucent wings left and righ giving it a sort of "halo". Nice clock!