New Fantasia fiber optic lamps list coming - I need all the help I can get!

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

The lamps list is VERY outdated, and it's getting a lot of comments. Here's how I'd like to update it: First, I need to gather information. Blah blah, blah, here's the list!

Please add what you have below, and this post will be updated. Sprays revolve, and do so clockwise, unless noted. "Gold" and "silver" mean matte or brushed finishes, "brass" and "chrome" refer to polished finishes. If you have info such as base dimensions, color wheel patterns and/or colors, variants, etc. please post below and I'll add it. Model names and numbers are often on stickers on the bottom of or inside bases.

Heat spray sizes are not relative to Firefly spray sizes. A large heat spray is roughly comparable to an average-sized Firefly spray.

Updated notes on several background things:

The following sprays exist:

(1) Heat Spray "puffball," multiple sizes. Used by Love Bug, Alpha, Saturn, Tempo, etc.

(2) Firefly spray. May be wide, like a hemisphere (the first six lamps: Firefly, Trophy, Love Story, Celestial, Champagne, Olympic, plus Centurion, New Star, etc.) or taller and almost egg-shaped (later Firefly, Onmi, etc.)

The giant models (Solar 1, Cosmos, Sunburst, etc.) use big Firefly sprays.

Something called a Schott spray was tested on the giant models. This added air bubbles between the fibers and cladding. The light at the the fiber tips was dimmer, as there were sparkles all along the length of each fiber at random locations.

Spray size and fall are regulated by diameter of fibers. Bigger sprays use thicker fibers to get a wider arc, based on ratio of weight to diameter.

An early sales point was Spencer Gifts, and several of the early models, including the Olympic floor lamp, were designed by the CEO, Larry Holsberg, and Al Landis, the salesman who got them into Spencer Gifts. Models like the Fiesta and Rainbow Bug were made fluorescent because the lamps were displayed in Spencers' blacklight area.

Wheels are as follows:

Five-color wheel:

Six-color wheel: white-orange-green-blue-pink-purple.

Eight-color wheel: clear-orange-purple-pink-turquoise-yellow-green-blue.

Repeating wheel: Red-blue-green repeat four times, with thin clear dividers.

Chevron wheel: chevron- or "7"-shaped patterns, with thin clear dividers. Eight segments: green-blue-purple-red-orange-yellow-red-yellow, narrow clear stripes between.

Love Bug wheel: five segments with patterns in pink, purple, yellow, turquoise, green; five patterns on clear background are radiating stripes, radiating dots, rainbow arch, curves, straight lines.

Please read the list carefully. Thanks.

Puffball/heat spray lamps:

Love Bug, model 1001. Wider-than-tall cylindrical base. Gloss black top and bottom, silver holofoil sideband. Rubber feet. Non-revolving spray. Love Bug wheel. Large heat spray.

Love Bug Gold, model unknown. Same as Love Bug, gold top and bottom, gold holofoil.

Rainbow Bug, model unknown. Same as Love Bug, black sideband with fluorescent-painted rings.

Comet, model 1000T. Taller-than-wide cylindrical base. Brass top and bottom, teak sideband. Rubber feet. Chevron wheel? Medium heat spray. Spray revolves counter-clockwise?

Snowflake, model unknown. Same as Comet? Spray revolves counter-clockwise.

Fiesta, model 1004. Same base form as Comet. Chrome top and bottom, black sideband with seven pairs of narrow fluorescent-painted rings: pink-orange-yellow-green-yellow-orange-pink. Chevron wheel. Rubber feet. Spray revolves counter-clockwise.

Tempo, model 1600. Taller-than-wide chrome cylinder, slanted slots on sides. Colored drum with diagonal (orange, red, purple, blue, green, yellow) stripes revolves with spray, creating light patterns. Chevron wheel. Rubber feet. Small heat spray.

Alpha, model 1050. Brass or chrome donut-shaped base with flared peak on top. Rubber feet. Chevron wheel. Small heat spray.

Saturn, model 2050. Brass or chrome conical base, four illuminated color bars around lower edge: pink-green-yellow-blue. Chevron wheel. Small? heat spray.

Galaxy, model unknown. Chrome UFO-shaped base, domed top, curved edge, flat bottom. Rubber feet. Non-revolving spray. Love Bug wheel. Large? heat spray.

Star Lite, model 1002. Cylindrical chrome base, two illuminated rings at midpoint. Pink light? No motor/wheel? Extra-small heat spray.

Also see Centurion, below.

Firefly-spray lamps:

Firefly, model 1101. Taller-than-wide cylinder on short, wider base. Wide silver top, bottom and base, black leatherette sideband. Five-color, later repeating wheel. The first Fantasia fiber optic lamp, first production run 24 lamps. Early models use wide Firefly spray, later use egg-shaped spray.

Firefly, model unknown. Same as Firefly. Brass. Textured brass sideband. Repeating wheel?

Love Story, model 1102. Early model only. Pale pink translucent fiberglass cylinder, gold end caps with filigree loops. Flared gold base, upturned edge. Pink fibers on first models? Five-color, later repeating wheel. Wide Firefly spray.

Love Story, model unknown. Same as Love Story. Black cylinder. Repeating wheel.

Trophy, model 1103. Hexagonal wood column, flat brass end caps, on flared brass pedestal. Five-color, later repeating wheel. Wide Firefly spray.

Regency, model 41200. Canadian-market Trophy.

Champagne, model 1104. Early model only. Hemisphere on trumpet-flared pedestal, gloss black with chrome rims on top and bottom. Black cylinder mounted inside bowl, probably five-color wheel.

Celestial, model 1105. Early model only. Same as Champagne, with black bowl and white pedestal. Upper lucite hemisphere makes it spherical. Black knob on top. Probably five-color wheel.

Sprite, model 2000. Taller-than-wide cylinder, short gloss black post with wide, flat gloss black base. No motor or wheel. Holds Love Bug-size spray ferrule. Burnt red, burnt green, brass, copper or chrome cylinder. (Burnt colors are darker at top and bottom)

Ballerina, model 2001. Similar to Sprite? Same body colors.

New Star, model 4004. Taller-than-wide cylinder, wider than Firefly. Dull silver top and bottom, matching sideband. Rubber feet. Six?-color wheel. Wide Firefly spray.

New Star, model 4004? Same as New Star. Black top and bottom, silver holofoil sideband.

Omni, model 1500. Two chrome hemispheres separated by short brass perforated band. Narrow chrome support column. Short, wide brass disk base. Colored drum with vertical stripes having bits of red, blue and yellow on white, with opaque vertical stripes between, revolves with spray, creating sparkling light patterns. Chevron wheel. Wide Firefly spray.

Sphere-shaped lamps. All have sphere on trumpet-flared pedestal:

Ecstasy, model 4001. Five-color, later six-color wheel. Large heat spray.

Centurion, model 4002. Five-color, later six-color?, later repeating wheel. Large heat spray or Firefly spray.

Serena, model 4005. Firefly spray. Repeating wheel.

Also see Sunburst, below.

Giant models:

Sunburst, model 4000. Chrome (early), brass (later), gloss black (1990s). Sphere on trumpet-flared pedestal. Eight-color wheel. Giant Firefly spray. Cooling fan in base.

Regency, model 4100. Base shaped like Love Bug, but larger. Chrome top and bottom, dull silver sideband with all-over cloverleaf perforations. Recessed inner gloss black sideband allows slight glow. Eight-color wheel? Rubber feet. Giant Firefly spray.

Solar 1, model 5001. Wide chrome flying saucer, small domed projection on top. Eight-color wheel. Rubber feet. Giant Firefly spray.

Cosmos, model 5000. Floor lamp. Two clear acrylic hemispheres form full sphere. Chrome band at midpoint attached to three-legged stand. Chrome Sunburst sphere inside, support post runs through a hole in the lower hemisphere into supports in the center of the legs. Eight-color wheel. Giant Firefly spray. Cooling fan in base.

Saturn, model 6000? (see later reuse of name). White gloss hemisphere top, matching tiered 'wedding cake' bottom. X-shaped acrylic stand cut to fit tiers, with silver rim at the top. Eight-color wheel. Giant Firefly spray. Base pieces were an early example of laser-cutting.

Olympic, model 1701. Early model. Floor lamp, "torchiere" style. Trumpet-flared top, gloss black. Short black cylinder below, on black pole. Unknown base design. Chrome rim on top. Firefly mounted inside. Probably five-color wheel. 66" tall including spray.

Unknown models:

Ballerina? Tall, narrow silver cylinder, on short chrome post with wide, flat chrome pedestal. Top and bottom of cylinder are separate pieces. Six-color wheel.

(Unreadable) Lantern, model 8000. No idea what this is! It's on the price list, though.

Unknown model numbers:

101, 202?, 303, 404, 1002, 1004, 3000, 4007, 6000.

Glitter lamps:

Glitter Lamp, model 202? or 7000. Cylinder with silver top and bottom, wider black gloss base. Optional eight-color and single-color discs.

Glitter Lamp, model 7001. Same as Glitter Lamp. Gold with black or all-black.

Possibly octagonal, wood-cased Glitter Lamp, too?

Cosmic Window, model 7002. Chrome cylinder, rectangular window with curved reflector behind glitter globe. Optional eight-color and single-color discs.

Glitter Graphics, models 7010-7025. 10" square wood box, 4" deep. Graphic printed plastic front panel. Glitter globe in front of curved chrome reflector as wide as the box. Actual model names unknown. Eleven styles have been seen so far, though the model numbers suggest that sixteen may exist:

Rolls-Royce*, Fire Dragon, Unicorn & Rainbow, Rainbow & Clouds, Parrot & Moon, Mask, Tropical Fish, Big Rig Truck, Bar Open, Saloon, Happy Hour.

*Rolls-Royce variants, the following may be printed in the blank rectangle over the "$$$$$$" license plate: American Flag, "Poverty Sucks," "Numero Uno."

All the Glitter Graphics except Bar Open, Happy Hour and Saloon were designed by George Stadnik, who hand-painted the originals (some in blacklight-responsive paint) and cut the silkscreen stencils.

Please read the above and tell me anything you can add: spray details, mechanics, dimensions of bases without spray (height, width, etc.), color wheel design and colors in what order, corrections, etc.

Together, we can build THE comprehensive list of all Fantasia Products lamps!

Information from Kris, James Reichie, George Stadnik, and others. If you contribute and I forget to add your name, please remind me!@

P.S. Anyone have a bigger scan of the catalog below, or any other scanned Fantasia catalogs, price lists, etc?

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

My no-motor Fantasia has been identified - list updated, too! See link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1970-Mid-Century-Modern-Red-FANTASI...

It is a "Sprite" and it comes with a new mystery: what is the "Ballerina"? Is it the same style, which I've seen, having a motor and color wheel? I suspect as much.

[Kirk]

Awesome, Jonas.  I've been watching this one and like it, but $150 seems a little steep.  :>)

[Erin]

That one's been out there a while. I've been watching it, too, but $150 is too much, I think. 

Jonas Clark-Elliott said:

My no-motor Fantasia has been identified - list updated, too! See link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1970-Mid-Century-Modern-Red-FANTASI...

It is a "Sprite" and it comes with a new mystery: what is the "Ballerina"? Is it the same style, which I've seen, having a motor and color wheel? I suspect as much.

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

I agree, despite the rarity. Mine was $30 about 6 years ago, and I put a blinker bulb in it to give it some action. I like the burnt red finish and would love to see the green and copper ones. Olive green? Avocado green?

[Erin]

Jonas I sent you a message about having edit rights in the Lava Library. Mark has granted our wish! Let me know if you need help - I can show you around. Or, I can create you a page and you can tinker with it to your heart's delight. 

Jonas Clark-Elliott said:

I agree, despite the rarity. Mine was $30 about 6 years ago, and I put a blinker bulb in it to give it some action. I like the burnt red finish and would love to see the green and copper ones. Olive green? Avocado green?