Coe Electronic Bulb Company

Coe Electronic Bulb Company (often shortened to CEB) was an American company which designed and manufactured vacuum and gas tubes, lighting products, radio equipment, and batteries, among other smaller ventures. The company was an early pioneer of tube based radio technology, and played an integral role in the spread of electric lighting. The company was founded by Douglass Coe in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1898, where another company of Coe's, Coe Dictation and Recording was headquartered after moving from Boston. CEB was the largest producer of lightbulbs, vacuum tubes, and gas-filled tubes for nearly two decades. Their main competitor was Tritian, then called Tritian Technician Supply Co., which despite being seven years younger quickly overtook CEB in the market of radio and television tubes. Douglass died in 1925 and in 1928 his widow, Gwendolyn conducted a merger of her late husbands several companies, including Coe Electronic Bulb Company, to form Coe. The brand name CEB remained in use on several products, including all tubes and bulbs, and was formally retired in 1956