In article , Oldylocks wrote:
Can anyone confirm that the 40 watt appliance bulb pictured in this photo
looks normal?
http://webpages.charter.net/aapace/bulb.jpg

It still lights up so it's not burned out.

Is that image the offending bulb or another one of the same type?

Bulbs with that filament style sometimes have the "tip of the V"
part of the filament short out. When that happens, the bulb gets
brighter, produces whiter light and usually burns out soon. Heat output
increases somewhat, with most of the extra heat being radiated rather than
convected/conducted.
If the bulb had a partial filament short and that made the difference in
melting the plastic, then I suspect the design of the plastic casing that
melted was marginal.

I just had the oddest experience in which this appliance bulb in my fridge
melted through the plastic light casing that covers it.

- Don Klipstein , http://www.misty.com/~don/bulb1.html)