Electric Lamp

ELECTRIC LAMP. (See also, ILLUMINATION) The invention of the first portable, handheld electric light followed the invention of the first incandescent light bulb in the late 1890s, though prototypes were reportedly in the field five years previous. Early designs required the transport of a heavy battery, though the light of both models was more consistent and reliable than that produced by lanterns. Some electric lamp prototypes could be mounted on the shoulder with straps, or on the barrel of some firearms. The distance of the light's beam varies depending on the bulb.