Vatea = tube brand of United Incandescent Lamp and Electric Company, Budapest, Hungary. Tyne: "Saga of the vacuum tubes", page 466: "Établissement H. Palicot, 51, rue de Paradis, Paris, was a merchandiser who sold Vatea tubes, which he imported from Hungary."

Tubes were sold in the UK by Abbey Radio, 47 Victoria Street, Westminster, London SW1 [1]

The founder, Imre Patay left Tungsram in 1923 and he established a burned out transmitting tube repair workshop. At this time transmitting tubes were very expensive and from import, thus by exchange of filament  wires and making vacuum again the Hungarian Royal Post saved a lot. Workshop was transformed to joint-stock company under name Vatea Rádiótechnikai és Villamossági Rt., Budapest I., Csaba utca 7/b-c. First, by own developed one-grid tubes  were produced on end of 1925, some of them 1-2 years only. On beginning cathode was based on tungsten, later on thorium-tungsten alloy. Since 1927 they started 2-grid tubes production too. After a longer negotiation Philips bought the majority in 1928. In 1930 company produced a few radio receiver typs too under  Touring trademark, but production was discontinued. Thanks to Philips support company extended to new area on Váci út 169. and started transmission tube development and production based on Netherlands documentation. A few years later company produced the whole range of radio receiver tubes and special, neon gas filled tuning indicators. During acquisition of Vatea by Philips Rádió és Villamossági Rt. and name was changed to Magyar Philips Müvek Rt.. Vatea label was not used more. In 1949 company was nationalize and since 1951 is had name Magyar Adócsögyár, what was included in 1963 to Egyesült Izzólámapy és Villamossági Rt. – Tungsram.

Mr. Patay was a long time development engineer and director of Vatea but in 1939 he left Vatea and created own company. In 1946 through Sweden he moved to USA and continued to work in vacuum technics. Unfortunately, relative young in 1949,when he was 55 years old, he died.

[1] Thrower, K; British Radio Valves The Classic Years 1926 - 1946, Supplement, p. 111