Diagrams showing Jablochkoff's candle lamp. Paul Jablochkoff (1847-1894) was a Russian telegraph engineer who would rise to the post of director of telegraphs between Moscow and Kursk. During travels in France in 1876 he developed his electric 'candle', the first lamp to be used in large quantities. The carbons stood upright, parallel to each other which meant the candle did not require complex regulating mechanisms, but its main importance was that it brought electric light to the public att