MUMFORD BOOKS

A leading UK seller of rare books,
prints and images

'Knowledge for all the family'

Original Signed photograph of Thomas Edison at work, inscribed: Friend Murray, In 1879 I invented the Incandescent lamp, Thos A Edison .

£550.00

1 in stock

Additional information

Weight 50 g
Dimensions 45 × 35 × 16 mm
small package

Small Package up to 0-1kg. Items under £50 – £3.55 1st class. For items over £50 the cheapest postage option is "Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm®: £8.70"

Inscription and Signed, Friend Murray, In 1879 I invented the Incandescent lamp. Thos A Edison . This photograph was taken when Thomas Edison was in his late seventies, you can just see his sons arm (Charles) behind him. By this time Edison had suffered bad health and was only drinking milk. All his life he was a light sleeper, making up for this lack of sleep by taking catnaps during the day. I am sure this is one of these rare moments with his son Charles is just ready to steady his fathers posture. In those days taking a series of photographs could take up to one hour of sittings. This photograph was found approximately 30 years ago by Timothy Decker, who purchased this item in a home sale in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA. I was at a yard sale on the west side . I asked about old paper items, autographs, etc. I was invited into the home, and into the cellar of that home where there was a fairly elaborate pool or billiards room, with an old pool table and various other old items. This item was on the wall, in a simple glass frame which was falling apart. I was able to purchase it. The back of the photograph has another kind of paper stuck to it, as if it was glued down previously. I have done some research into the hand written message, Friend, Murray . It must be GEORGE HENRY MURRAY, teacher, lawyer and politician; b. 7 June 1861 in Grand Narrows, Nova Scotia, d. 6 Jan. 1929 in Montreal.. Later he promoted the first Technical College, and contributed to the gereral industrial expansion of the telephone system. Murray’s aim being to extend this modern mode of voice communication to all rural communities. Murray’s support for technical education was interpreted by contemporaries as one of his major contributions, and given us technical education. George Murray, teacher, lawyer, politician, elected Liberal premier on 20 April 1897and remained premier until his retirement in 1923, winning his Victoria seat in five more elections. He would have known Edison personally as a friend and business colleague, like the other big industrialist and friend Henry Ford. The above is based on my own research and assumptions taken from the dictionary of Canadian Biography Online by Judith Fingard. I can recommend Michael Burgans book titled Thomas Alva Edison, Great American Inventor , published by Compass Point Books 2007.
This sepia photograph is printed on thin card 6 x 8 , with genuine signature, a unique one-of-a-kind T. Edison item, Guaranteed original, not a reproduction. WAS PRICED £650.00.