So you've found a violet wand. Perhaps it turned up in a loft clearance, came home from a car boot sale, or was left to you by a relative who never quite explained what it was for. Whatever the route, welcome. They're fascinating little objects, and this guide will help you get your bearings.
What is a violet wand?#
A violet wand is a hand-held device that turns ordinary mains electricity into a very high voltage that changes direction thousands of times a second. That output goes into a glass electrode, which glows purple or orange, buzzes, and throws tiny sparks at anything nearby.
In the early twentieth century they were sold in huge numbers as "violet rays", in neat fitted cases with a set of oddly shaped glass electrodes and a leaflet full of confident promises. Today you'll see them called violet wands, violet rays, or "high frequency" devices.
Why people collect them#
Set aside the old health claims (more on those below) and a vintage violet ray is a lovely thing:
- early consumer electronics, often with handsome Bakelite and brass
- hand-blown glass electrodes in all sorts of shapes
- printed cases, boxes and leaflets that show how electricity was sold to the public when it was still new in many homes
They're also small, they turn up fairly often, and no two sets have quite the same history.
The three things to know first#
1. Don't plug it in to see if it works. This is the big one. A wand that's sat in a loft for decades can fail the moment it meets the mains, and that failure can be a shock, a fire, or a burnt-out original part you'll never replace. The guide to getting your violet wand explains what to do instead.
2. It isn't a medical device. Violet rays were sold as cures for almost everything: hair loss, aches, poor skin, "nerves". None of that held up, and nothing on this site treats a violet wand as a treatment for anything. Read the old leaflets as history, not advice.
3. The glass is the fragile bit. Electrodes are thin, hollow, and often a century old. Handle them over something soft. About Violet Wand Electrodes covers how.
A sensible first afternoon#
- Clear a table and lay a folded towel on it.
- Open the case slowly and photograph everything before you move anything.
- Count the electrodes and check each one for cracks, especially at the neck where the glass meets the metal.
- Look for a maker's name, model and voltage rating. Write them down exactly.
- Check the cord and plug for cracks, tape, or perished rubber.
- Pop a note on it saying "do not plug in" until it's been looked at properly.
That's it. You've now done more than most sellers ever do.
Where to go next#
- Violet Wand Basics explains how one works and the words you'll keep seeing.
- The Violet Wand Comparison helps you work out what you've got.
- Violet Wand Safety covers the hazards, and what a proper safety overhaul involves if you want one to run.
- Violet Wand History tells the story of where they came from.
A wand doesn't have to work to be worth keeping. Plenty of the best sets in any collection never get switched on at all.