To put an end to the wild times of Flash Powder, magnesium ribbons and sheets, one had the ingenious idea to put the magnesium inside a glass bulb and light it up with an electric spark. It avoids the smoke and the handling of raw chemicals. But as the quantity of heat released in the process is...
lighting
Flashes, Flash-bulbs and other specific means to add light in picture taking
Agfa flashlight lamp | Agfa
Small and stylish device for using powder flash. The burning is manually induced with a mechanism that activates a lighter stone. Track the burn at 1/15s intervals and understand how to synchronize with the camera's trigger.
Kodak Amateur Flash Outfit | Kodak
In the beginning of photography the flash was something very close to fireworks. They were burned loose in the air, like in this kit from Kodak for the amateur photographer.