Among the vintage lighting pieces at Old New Lamp is a charming little reading light shaped like a football boot topped with a blue football-shaped shade. This example is new old stock (NOS), dating to 1993, and it comes with its original box and Russian-language operating instructions.
The lamp is a reminder of an era when even a practical clip-on light could be designed as a playful souvenir. The surviving manual gives us the original specifications, operating instructions, warranty terms, and an interesting clue about where its paperwork was printed.
The Original “Football” Souvenir Lamp Manual
The document is headed “Сувенир «Футбол» — Руководство по эксплуатации”, or “Football Souvenir — Operating Instructions.” Below are photographs of both original pages, followed by the complete English translation.
Complete English Translation
“Football” Souvenir — Operating Instructions
1. General Information
The “Football” souvenir is an original commemorative gift. It is switched on and off by pressing the base (sole) and the protruding part of the body (the boot). The souvenir can be attached as a clip to an object no more than 15 mm thick.
2. Technical Specifications
- Voltage: 220 V
- Lamp power: 15 W
- Overall dimensions: 120 × 120 × 80 mm
- Weight: not more than 0.25 kg
3. Package Contents
- “Football” souvenir — 1 piece
- Operating instructions — 1 copy
- Packaging box — 1 piece
4. Safety Requirements
When replacing the light bulb, disconnect the souvenir from the power supply by its connecting cord (remove the plug from the electrical outlet).
5. Acceptance Certificate and Warranty Obligations
The “Football” souvenir meets the requirements of technical specification TU 16.539.900-74, has been accepted by the Technical Control Department (OTK), and is deemed suitable for use.
The factory guarantees proper functioning of the souvenir for six months from the date of sale by the shop.
The warranty does not cover the light bulb.
Date of manufacture: ______ 199_.
Technical Control Department inspector / OTK stamp.
Price: 2 rubles 70 kopecks.
Without the shop entering the date of sale, no warranty is provided.
Date of sale by the shop: __________ 199_. (Shop stamp)
Printed address: 310017, Kharkiv, district 17, 106 Kotlova Street (as written in the original address).
Printer's imprint: Lozova Printing House, 1991, order no. 4528, print run 40,000.
Translator's note: The address and printer details reproduce information on the leaflet. The printed year 1991 is the date in the printing imprint, not necessarily the manufacturing date of this particular lamp. The stamp and handwritten markings are preserved in the photograph rather than interpreted as a definitive production date.
A Small Piece of Ukrainian Industrial History
Several details make this modest document especially interesting. The original instructions list a 15-watt incandescent bulb, a clip opening of up to 15 mm, and a surprisingly specific original retail price of 2 rubles 70 kopecks. They also specify a six-month warranty, with the bulb excluded.
The imprint names the Lozova Printing House and the year 1991. The lamp sold here is a 1993 Ukrainian new-old-stock example; the earlier printing date is consistent with pre-printed instructions being included with later production.
Made at the Kharkiv Electrical Apparatus Plant (KhEAZ)
This “Football” souvenir reading lamp was made at the Kharkiv Electrical Apparatus Plant (KhEAZ, Ukrainian: Харківський електроапаратний завод), in Kharkiv, Ukraine. An especially interesting clue is the address on its surviving instruction leaflet: 106 Kotlova Street, Kharkiv — the recorded address of KhEAZ. The original paperwork thus connects this small and playful household souvenir to a much larger electrical-engineering enterprise.
The plant was founded in 1936 under the name Elektrostanok, initially producing electrical equipment for the machine-tool industry. During World War II, key machinery and personnel were evacuated to Tashkent in 1941. Staff returned to Kharkiv in 1943 to rebuild the works, with restoration completed by 1946. In 1970, the factory was renamed the Kharkiv Electrical Apparatus Plant. It became known primarily for electrical control equipment, including time-delay relays.
The historic Soviet-era plant no longer exists in the same form in which this lamp was produced. However, this should not be confused with legal dissolution: a company named Kharkiv Electrical Apparatus Plant remained listed as a registered legal entity in Ukraine in October 2026. The records alone do not establish whether the original workshops are still operating.
That is what makes this little clip-on lamp such an engaging survivor: it preserves a less familiar, consumer-facing part of an industrial factory's history.
Historical sources: Museum of Relay Protection and Automation — history of KhEAZ; SMIDA — KhEAZ company record; YouControl — company registry status.
The Original Reading Lamp Today
The light's unusual shape is easy to appreciate in use: the blue football-patterned shade directs light down onto the pages, while the black boot-shaped body supports the lamp. The example photographed here is a preserved new-old-stock lamp with its original box, manual and 220 V bulb.
Explore the original 1993 Football clip-on reading lamp at Old New Lamp →