Remarkable early ALS signed “Edison,” one page, lightly-lined both sides, 5.75 x 9, personal letterhead, May 8, 1882. Letter to Charles L. Clarke, chief engineer of the Edison Electric Light Company, New York. In full: “Please keep me posted by brief notes of the progress of things. I am going to try great many things here that its difficult to do at Goerck, will send you results. Want you to be on hand and test that small bar armature machine yourself with various loads with EMF and margins on field so we can calculate the 100 light bar armature. Want to get along with just as few bars and plates as possible. My impression is that the regular 2 bar armature with say considerably less than double the bars will give 100 lights (8 1/2 per hp Lights) with margin to spare.” Docketed at the conclusion by Clarke upon receipt, “Rec’d May 9, 1882, Noted, C. L. C.” In fine condition, with intersecting folds (a couple miniscule separations at edges) and light toning.
Thomas Edison made his first public demonstration of the electric light on December 31, 1879, a monumental occasion. The following year he established Edison Machine Works on Goerck Street in New York, which he used as his laboratory and factory for production the first electrical lighting system. While the development of the light bulb was an important milestone, he needed to develop a system to produce and distribute electricity—without power available, the light bulb was useless. At the time he wrote this letter, Edison was hard at work on solving this problem, conducting various experiments to assess the viability of different models. Just seven months later, he set up his first lighting system with overhead wires in Roselle, New Jersey. The success of the Roselle venture encouraged immediate and widespread installation of electric lighting in villages, towns and small cities throughout the nation. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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