www.fiberopticmuseum.com | Below: Vintage Lava-Simplex Starburst Fibre Optic light Model S-900

Below: Lava-Simplex, the iconic US manufacturer of the lava lamp also expanded into other forms of kinetic and decorative lighting. One such product was Starburst, a fiber optic light which when illuminated creates an ever-changing riot of colours on the front panel of the lamp. This clever lamp has fiber optics carefully arranged with a spinning colour wheel rotating in front of a light bulb within. The result is the color-changing light is transported to the ends of the plastic fibers, which can be seen on the face of the product.

Lava-Simplex's President, Hyman Milton Spector described Starburst to Edward Craven Walker as: "This is a crude photo of the single prototype of Starburst, the new model mentioned in my letter. Picture this in a riot of expanding, undulating, colour combinations. The colors constantly mix to give you possibly 6 to 8, ongoing, never ending colours, constantly blending ... - Hy"

The label reads: "STARBURST A fiber optics creation manufactured exclusively for Lava-Simplex Internationale Inc 1735 N. Ashland Ave Chicago Ill. 60622 U.S. Model S-900 A.C. 120 V. 60Hz 28 Watts UMC Electroptics Inc. PAT. NO. 3184872 E 0 51226 Caution: Maximum Lamp Size 15 Watts Replacement Bulb 15 Watts T7"

UMC Electroptics also produced illuminated fiber optic sign boxes utilised for advertising in shops or bar spaces. For example, we have seen one advertising Tuborg beer, and another advertising Kodak color film processing.