"GRANDE" bulb question

[Wyatt]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here.  I joined because I recently picked up a 27-inch "GRANDE" at an estate sale and I'm a little apprehensive about what bulb to use. 

My initial impression was that this is a generic/knockoff lamp as one of the labels indicates it's made in China by Hua Xing Lighting Company (hence the "GRANDE" in quotes), but after looking at pictures of genuine Lava brand examples online, the proportions are dead-on and the water & wax colors appear to match the Lava 6821.  I'm wondering if this is a genuine Lava Lite.  The label also states it's a "6000 series", but I know that knockoff manufacturers also tend to mimic the model numbers of whatever they're copying. 

Anyway, I fully expected it to use something larger than the 40-watt bulbs that the normal size lamps use, but I was a little surprised that the label recommends a 100-watt bulb.  With the dubious origin casting doubt on the quality of manufacturing, I find myself wondering if this bulb recommendation is grounded in reality.  I was expecting 60 or maybe 75 watts. 

Can anyone tell me if this a genuine Lava Lite or a knockoff? 

...and is a 100-watt bulb overkill/unsafe, or is that typical for a lamp this size?

Thanks!

[Galaxy_9]

Definitely a Lava Brand Grande as those are all made in China since around '03. The "Giants" were also the same size and predecessor but made in the USA mid 90s to around '02 I believe, and have a rubber seal and heat shrink to seal it. Grandes do in fact take a 100W R (reflector). Interestingly I see a handwritten tag on the top with a "Prod. date 12/28/03" and "Recd.? date 1/12/04". Was that from the estate sale like that? Never seen that not sure if anyone else has seen? Wondering if it's part of early Grande production run in China. These usually have a large white round label on top with two rows of codes printed sometimes reflecting a date. Some of the early Grandes from this time tend to have great action though, so good luck!

[Wyatt]

Good to know it's a Lava brand and not a knockoff.  Hopefully that means it's less likely to blow up on me! 

Yes - the handwritten labels were on it when I purchased it from the estate.  If it's an early production run, and since the writing is in English, perhaps the parts were shipped from China, but the globes were filled in the USA???

I'll be on the hunt for a bulb.  Looks like I'll need an R20 or BR20, and it might be tough to find in the 100W rating. 

Galaxy_9 said:

...Interestingly I see a handwritten tag on the top with a "Prod. date 12/28/03" and "Recd.? date 1/12/04". Was that from the estate sale like that?...