rare and unusual early 20th century interior hardware store countertop mazda edison incandescent light bulb display unit. the tapered base is comprised of solid walnut with original stained finish largely intact. the fanciful gilded lettering is mostly intact on one side only. the arched top or half-circle double-sided display contains a rather impressive detailed and vibrantly colored enameled tin lithograph attributed to american painter and illustrator maxfield parrish, who had numerous commissions from popular magazines in the 1910's and 1920's including hearst's, colliers, and life. he was also a favorite of advertisers, including wanamaker's, edison-mazda lamps, fisk tires, colgate and oneida cutlery. the display unit contains intact and original porcelain sockets and bakelite switches for use in the display of various mazda lamps. mazda was a trademarked name used by general electric and others for incandescent light bulbs from 1909 through 1945; mazda brand light bulbs were made for decades after 1945 outside the usa. the company chose the name due to its association with [ahura] mazda, the transcendental and universal god of zoroastrianism whose name means "[wise] lord " in the avestan language. the company licensed the mazda name, socket sizes, and tungsten filament technology, to other manufacturers in order to set a standard for lighting. bulbs were soon sold by many manufacturers with the mazda name attached, including westinghouse. the company advertised their new tungsten bulb standard with paintings by maxfield parrish. measures 28 x 16 x 6 inches. "tipped" bulbs for show only. rewired with period appropriate golden rayon twisted cloth cord with bakelite plug. fabricated by the american art works inc., coshocton ohio, for the edison mazda lamp division of the general electric company. light bulbs not included.