"Edisonia"; A Brief History of the early Edison Electric Lighting System
New York: Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, 1904. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. 211. [5] pages. Errata slip bound in after verso. Illustrations. Fold-out. Footnotes. Table of Contents is at the back of the volume. Rare connection to Edison's inner circle. Previous owner's sticker inside the front cover. Name of former owner, William H. Meadowcroft [!!!], in ink on fep. William Henry Meadowcroft (29 May 1853 in Manchester – 15 October 1937 in Boonton, New Jersey) was the secretary of Thomas Edison and author of several books, including The A B C of Electricity (1888). In 1875, he immigrated to the United States where he worked as a paralegal for the law firm Carter & Eaton. He was admitted to the New York State Bar Association in 1881. His collaboration with Edison began as one of the senior partners of the Carter & Eaton firm became Vice President of the newly formed Edison Electric Light Company. In 1910, Meadowcroft left the firm to succeed Frederick Miller Harry as Edison's personal secretary, a position he held until Edison's death. Among the items at the Exposition are Edison "Jumbo" Steam-Dynamo, Incandescent Lamps, Electrical Fixture, Filaments, Electric Railways, Lighting Plants, and Lamp Factory, In 1904, St. Louis hosted a World's Fair to celebrate the centennial of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. The actual opening was delayed until April 30, 1904, to allow for full-scale participation by more states and foreign countries. Many of the inventions displayed were precursors to items which have become an integral part of today's culture. Novel applications of electricity and light waves for communication and medical use were displayed in the Palace of Electricity. In order to develop a successful incandescent lamp, Edison had to design an entire electrical system, which he modeled after the gas lighting systems used in large cities. Gas systems included central stations, underground conductors, meters, and lamp fixtures. In addition to these components, Edison also had to design an electrical generator and the network it powered. He also planned to sell power to balance the load at his central station during the day when fewer lights were used. In order to do this, he had to design electric motors and he even experimented with an electric railway. In addition, he also had to develop the screw socket to hold his lamps in the fixtures and fuses to prevent electrical overloads and fires. Edison installed his first permanent central station on Pearl Street in lower Manhattan. He designed special "jumbo" dynamos for the station. The district included Wall Street and many of the New York newspapers. Before installing the station, he canvassed the district he planned to light to find out how many gas and kerosene lamps were used and how much machinery could be powered by his electric motors. "This volume ... is uniform in size and binding, and in general make-up similar to the series of Electrical Handbooks issued under the imprint of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, in connection with the entertainment of foreign visitors to the International Electrical Congress, St. Louis, September 12-17, 1904, and may well be considered as completing the series. it contains a series of views and descriptions of the important features of the valuable collection of 'Edisonia' brought together by the Committee in the Exhibit of the Association at St. Louis, and a series of articles containing interesting historical matter in connection therewith. Much of the material in the Exhibit is of great historical value..." (prefatory note). Of particular interest to collectors will be a series of illustrations of early Edison light bulbs and associated apparatus. Condition: Good.
Keywords: Thomas Alva Edison, William H. Meadowcroft, Steam-Dynamo, Pearl Street Station, Menlo Park, Incandescent Lamp, Filament, Electrical Fixture, Electric Railways, Lighting Plants, Lamp Factory
[Book #86033]
Price: $10,000.00