Huge hoard of vintage Christmas lights from estate sale

[@lindaadelwerth8042]

I love the petal lights! They are my favorites! Had them on our tree when I was a kid. They definitely had the nostalgia about them. I would love to have them again!

[@OldCarAlley]

I remember them well as a kid also. I use them on my tree, with the vintage C-7 lights.

[@lindaadelwerth8042]

@@OldCarAlley Bet it looks really good!

[@OldCarAlley]

I think I put some video of the tree on my channel. @@lindaadelwerth8042

[@lindaadelwerth8042]

Thank you showing these!

[@erixuouji2733]

Really cool ! I love them ! ❤

[@geeky12ful]

Those C-9 lights are the same ones my Dad put up on the great big spruce tree in front of our house in the 60’s to 70’s.

[@jenniferbauman4802]

Good video. God bless. From Glenn CATT in Massachusetts.

[@frederickbowman4494]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!

[@95KIPPIE]

We used to have these on our tree in blue and red. I will wait for everyone to fall asleep, go up in the attic, and change all of the colors of the lights on the tree. I want all of the colors To be on the tree lol. But we also had the reflector tins with these. They really made them glow. I was obsessed with these lights I remember those little mini lights with the flowers, all of those! That’s quite a nice haul!!

[@OldCarAlley]

Yea, I remember them too. I use them on my tree and around the inside on the house.

[@billgateskilledmyuncle23]

When I was a toddler, we had those flower pedal lights on the tree. They quit working when I was around 6 and we had to get the regular mini lights because they were old and hard to find. I always missed them. I guess since they were the first lights I remember seeing, it set a nostalgic effect on me. My grandma had the glass ones that don't blink. They also give me nostalgia.

[@rjc7289]

I'll take those old incandescent light strands over the harsh LED lights any day of the week! They have a certain warmth and glow to them that modern lights are sorely lacking.

[@OldCarAlley]

I agree 100%

[@95KIPPIE]

I’ll take the C7 and C9 lights any day!

[@MrPyroguru]

@@OldCarAlley Use these with a light dimmer because it prolongs life.

[@OldCarAlley]

@@MrPyroguru I like the full brightness. I have not had an issue with bulbs going out and have been using them for decades. One set I know is 50 years old, because my grandma bought them for me in 72. They still work after 50 years, with maybe a half dozen bulbs being replaced over the past 50 years.

[@MrPyroguru]

@@OldCarAlley No Problem When dimming them they do last much longer. They don't make replacements for these bulbs anymore. Just wanted you to enjoy them for awhile. I like dimming them because they have a softer glow as well.

[@MrScottie68]

Great find on the vintage C-9’s! Those 1970’s miniature lights were the beginning of the disposable era of Christmas lighting. You were lucky to get two seasons out of them before multiple bulbs failures and wires breaking off.

[@OldCarAlley]

Yes, finding mini lights from that era in working condition, is hard, as most did get tossed out. The beginning of the disposable era!

[@joehughes7962]

WOW wish i could find them kind of lights again to go on my tree at christmas time

[@winnileesboy]

memories I have collected lights and decorations for 40 years as I start to downsize for a future move, i've offered them to nieces and nephews with little result. eBay is an optipn

[@awightviewuhs6103]

I didn’t know David Gilmour collected christmas lights! Lol. great video.

[@chass5438]

3:53: I changed all my bulbs to flashing ones. I never expected to find some at a hardware store. I didn't even think they were still available....

[@OldCarAlley]

Yeah, I wouldn't expect to see them in a store either, unless its an old hardware with old stock.

[@95KIPPIE]

We used those as a kid, and still use in 2020!!! Traditional all the way for me

[@steve_o379]

Absolutely love these lights reminds me of my childhood. I hate the modern l.e.d ones there's a site here in the uk called Christmas world they've remade the vintage lights like these but the bulbs are led but look original you can't tell so I bought 2 sets of 100 for my tree.

[@jetit]

Wow! Great Find I Love Vintage Christmas Lights. Now the C6 or C7 I love the Twinkling Ones. I also love the Old 50 or 100 five way Flashing sets. And the fast flashing ones too. Thanks for Sharing.

[@realmccoy]

“Look at the socket…like brand new!”

[@OldCarAlley]

Yep, they were never removed from the box..... They are brand new in a sense, even though they are 50+ years old.

[@Christmasmemories1]

You should join the 1960s and 1970s Christmas lights group on Facebook. We would enjoy seeing your lights there.

[@OldCarAlley]

I'm not on Facebook

[@dandfgarage986]

ME WANT!!! THEY LOOK SO COOL!!!!

[@nerys723]

Pretty!

[@shawnmcculley2995]

Screw LED!! Old fashioned are the best!!

[@OldCarAlley]

I don't like the shimmering the LED's do, plus the LED's don't give off a nice warm glow like the old vintage incandescent lamps do.

[@603me.]

@@OldCarAlley I agree, but if you haven't, check out Tru -Tone bulbs. They really are quite remarkable. It's becoming harder each year to find replacement c7 and c9, so although Tru Tone are expensive, I don't feel like I'm settling. I mixed in one box on the tree this year and they're virtually indistinguishable.

[@OldCarAlley]

@@603me. Yea I hear there really good and don't have that 60 cycles per second flicker. It's just that I have thousands of C7 and C9 lamps to burn out before I leave this planet, so I see no sense in purchasing the expensive TrueTone bulbs. I enjoy the different look of all the different types and brands of bulbs too. Even bulbs in the same color and brand all look slightly different illuminated.

[@DavidDavid-ew9rb]

@@OldCarAlley Sir, where to buy old style Christmas lights like this? 🤔

[@OldCarAlley]

@@DavidDavid-ew9rb Estate Sales..... go to estatesales.net, you can find the sales there.

[@HomesteadHopefulTara]

I was hoping for a good luck at the twinkling ones. Did I miss it? I love the old fashioned twinkling lights like my parents had in the 70s/80s.

[@mauricefolkes9683]

Hi 👋 I'm MauriCe 😀 I'm writing to you from Peru Your Christmas lights are very beautiful 😍 I like to collect. I also have 35 with double flash and 50 with 3 pineapple-type flash, I don't have that type or style of lights that you have 😞 One question 🙂 you don't sell those lights, I want one of 35 and 50 thanks for the answer 👍

[@OldCarAlley]

I only have 35 sets. I use them, so no there not for sale.

[@mauricefolkes9683]

it's okay 👌 friend 😊 yes I understand 😊 those lights are beautiful, I wouldn't sell the ones I have either ☺️ take care of them 😌 if you dare, pass the word to me 😃 greetings from Peru

[@chass5438]

I still get hounded by a friend for collecting vintage records, after over 50 years of it. It's like THAT's stupid, but what THEY collect is totally OK. Nothing wrong with collecting what your interests are ! I even collect Toasters !

[@chass5438]

I've been scouring antique stores for lights and lighted ornaments right now while it's still early !

[@OldCarAlley]

I have a friend with a huge toaster collection. My dad collected banana stickers.... he had hundreds, no two were the same.

[@TylersNeighborhoodGarage]

Howard, did you wipe your eyes or pinch yourself to make sure you weren't hallucinating? Be careful though. After that haul, it's going to take more and more Christmas lights to satisfy the itch. LOL, glad you found them. i always look forward to your Christmas light videos when it is cold and dreary.

[@josephralph7570]

I’m so jealous, where were they made?

[@jasonw8124]

Really nice score! On your C9 strings there are a bunch of Japan or Taiwan made inside-colored bulbs. The real giveaway are the minty green and deep blue bulbs, those are likely made in Taiwan or Japan and are very good quality.

[@OldCarAlley]

Yes, some of the bulbs did have Japan on the base. They last a long time... Some of the bulbs I put up every year have thousands of hours on them, from the many years of using them, often from Thanksgiving, to early March. I do leave some up all winter, lighting them every night.

[@jasonw8124]

@@OldCarAlley Nice! I run my old lamps often also, I have a decent collection that will last a long time. I also use dimmers to run all of my vintage Christmas lamps at about 80-100v. They last many times longer and still look great. My favorite thing about those old bulbs besides lasting so long is that the coloring never fades. Most of the GE and Westinghouse bulbs were either powdercoated internally or had a ceramic coating on the exterior that wouldn't chip under most circumstances. Those old Japan and Taiwan bulbs carried on the tradition of internal coating. One of these days I'll post a video of my vintage Christmas lights versus some newer C7 LED retrofits I bought that look very close to the old incans. I use the LEDs for the big jobs....and keep the vintage incans near our cozy places.

[@OldCarAlley]

​@@jasonw8124 Yes post videos... I love the old lights. I have tens of thousands of them. Everyone that I know teases me about them, but they buy them for me when they see them, and show up at Christmas, just to check out my lights. I even have the old C-9 inside painted bulbs that blink. Guess there super rare. I have hundreds of the inside paint blinkers in both C-9 and C-7... most are C-9. I can't be bothered to use dimmers on my C-9's or C-7's. I would probably burn the dimmer out, as I run close to 20 amps on each circuit. I put circuits in just for the lights... thats how crazy I am. My December power bill is often around $200+.... normally it's under $40. I just put them up and enjoy them. I usually put a dozen 25 C-9 light sets up outside, but I have enough to light everyones house in my neighborhood. I kinda horde them. When ever I see the older lights, I just buy them. I have a whole room in my basement full of bins of C-9 and C-7 bulbs, but most are C-9. My dad asked me what my plans for all the bulbs are all the time. I just tell him my plans are to use all them until they burn out... that will take several life times!

[@OldCarAlley]

Jason, in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4nZo4OdYpWelas at 2:15 I show a couple of the C-9 inside coated blinker bulbs illuminated. There super rare... got hundreds of them. Even got a few with the twisted glass inside coated C-9's that blink.

[@jasonw8124]

@@OldCarAlley That's awesome. I'm all for using them, too. Even though they'll burn out eventually, they won't last forever anyways. Occasionally one of my classic bulbs will come unglued from it's base, or my C-6 bulbs (my favorite light) which are all, unfortunately, outside painted. The paint on the C-6 bulbs eventually flakes off no matter how well I take care of them. 60+ year old paint eventually fails. Also, when I die, I doubt anyone would appreciate my collection and it's possible they get thrown away. So I'm glad to hear that you are getting maximum enjoyment from yours! Also, if you're not already, go to "lighting-gallery dot net" I have my entire collection posted there. BTW, have you made a YT vid of the blinking "ceramic" style bulbs yet? I'd love to see them, I have only heard of these bulbs as rumor!

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Is it me or do the old incandescent lights have better colors than the new led lights?

[@OldCarAlley]

I like the incandescent bulbs much more than the LED's.

[@603me.]

I know this video is older, but check out Tru-Tone bulbs. They aren't cheap, but they are pretty amazing. They're the only led I've seen capable of replicating the look and feel of traditional incandescent. I picked up one box this year and mixed them in with incandescents on my tree, and you really can't tell the difference.

[@kkkkkkatherine]

Wow !! Howard, excellent Vintage Lights estate find !!! ...yep, I enjoyed this video, Vintage Light Freak that I am too ...lol !!! Did you EVER get a video of Vintage lights IN THE SNOW 2018/19?? Timing IS everything !! Happy Spring !!...how's your Dad / his poor Back?? thanks, k.

[@OldCarAlley]

We never got snow why the lights were up, so no I never got video of them covered in snow. Hopefully next year we will have a little snow on the lights for a video. Dad is doing better, but his back is not the issue. He was diagnosed with Leukemia, and is going threw Chemotherapy.

[@kkkkkkatherine]

@@OldCarAlley Oh gosh !!... So sorry to learn of Dad's leukemia ...chemo's no fun but it seems one treatment that works well for many... will keep him in my prayers, Howard !!

[@OldCarAlley]

Thank you @@kkkkkkatherine

[@Johnjohn19691]

😳 wow

[@stormwulf117]

Estate sales always depress me. These things were once a part of a person's life. Now they're dead & gone, and their mortal belongings, the things that tell their life story, are cast to the winds, usually grabbed up by people out to "flip" them on eBay.

[@OldCarAlley]

That or the dump..... I like saving cool old stuff. Estate sales are great for that, and I bet the past owner would be happy to see their stuff being put to good use. Some can be depressing, I agree, but it helps the family clear out their loved ones stuff, so they can sell the property. Thats why I go to them. I'v been threw it a couple times.

[@jeremypachuau5243]

Do you allow ro resell it

[@OldCarAlley]

No, I use them.

[@jfmc2581]

How do you replace a socket without cutting the wire?? 8:42

[@OldCarAlley]

Pull the metal contact out, remove the wire, pull the socket off, put the new socket over the wire, reconnect them to the contact and push it into the socket.... finished.

[@carlyonbay45]

good deal ....you only paid 25 cents a BAAAAAAHXX

[@jrmsdos3714]

Hey We're did he get the old c9 mulite color 25 Christmas lights early 70s and 80s, I like the f. 70s 25 c9 and mulite color and clear l, Christmas lights, And I like most 5 of the Christmas lights, The 50 and 100 ct mini, 5 multi colors and clear l., cts and yellow and teal Purple, and 50 and 100 ct led 5 multi colors and more clear l., 50 and 100 ct,, pink and teal purple 🟣, 25 c7 5 multicolor 🟥 and 🟨 🟦 and🟩 🟧 more clear l, Christmas lights

[@OldCarAlley]

I use to buy them in garage sales, but never see them in garage sales anymore. Now days about the only place I find vintage Christmas lights is in estate sales. When ever I see them, I buy them all. I have thousands of old vintage lights.... C9, C7 and vintage mini lights, most being 50+ years old, many still never used new in the box. Plus friends know I am a vintage Christmas light freak, so they pick them up for me whenever they see them.

[@dougbarrey4633]

older ones are better quality