|
Judicial Theme
Beyond the fact that each lamp in the collection is a very historic
physical specimen, each also has significant judicial evidence history.
Several are prototypes of record made by one or the other of the renowned
inventors on trial. One is recorded as used by Edison in 1883 in his famous
"Edison Effect" experiments. Artifacts in the collection are
listed among the thousands of pages of transcripts from the Edison Trials,
used as benchmark exhibits, as test specimens, and as probative matter.
First - Each of the twenty-three lamps discovered in the wooden
box has a glued quartered court square. Each square has an Exhibit number
hand written in black ink. The number indicates the compartment the lamp
occupies in the wooden box. Nineteen of the lamps have additional hand
written labels attached, fourteen are glued, four are attached by string,
one is etched. Two lamps have three additional court labels. Four lamps
have two additional court labels.
Second - Each lamp is associated with at least one court case
from the Edison Trials list. Thirteen lamps in the collection where also
distinguished in separate tests and exhibitions entered into evidence.
More than half of the lamps are marked by more than one specimen label.
The total number of labels on the twenty-three lamps, either glued, string
tied or etched, is forty six. The artifacts have more than one label because
they are documented in more than one proceeding. Some lamps became evidence
individually in later cases while some became entered as part of all the
the evidence from prior relevant testimony.
(The trial title most relevant to each lamp's earliest judicial history
is listed in each lamp summary.)
Third - A hand written note of provenance was found inside the
discovered box. The note is in the hand of Edison Pioneer, John W. Howell
and printed at the margin is his address, "211 BALLANTINE PARKWAY."
Howell's note describes each lamp in summary detail. The first paragraph
of the note indicates the first seven lamps in the collection, the "tar-putty"
lamps, are exhibits from the Edison Trials.
Conclusion - The Edison Trial Evidence Collection is no doubt
a part of the history of the Edison Trials which first began as a routine
Patent Interference Declaration issued by Patent Commissioner, Edgar M.
Marble, signed on September 23, 1880. The interference, between U.S. Patent
U.S. 317,676 and U.S. Patent 223,898, erupted into a prolific series of
courtroom battles, one of the first of which was "Sawyer and Man v.
Edison" (the Sawyer and Man fundamental lamp patent vs. Edison's fundamental
lamp patent).
The legal drama quickly grew to international proportion with the first
injunction spawned by infringing lamps displayed at the Paris 1881 Electrical
Exhibition. The battles raged on unfavorably against Edison for a decade
until July 8, 1890.
That morning at approximately 11:00 AM at the Circuit Court of the United
States, Southern District of New York, John W. Howell made his now famous
statement, "I hereby produce the lamps." His testimony was delivered
as he offered his box of "Tar Putty" lamps as Exhibit #1, proffered
into evidence by Richard N. Dyer, Esq., attorney for Edison. The validity
of Edison's patent was then upheld by Judge William J. Wallace (decision
- July 14, 1891). From that point on, for another decade, subsequent trials
and appeals began to fall in favor of Edison.
During the course of two decades of trials there were many patent interference
decisions made by six different Patent Commissioners:
Edgar M. Marble - May 7, 1880 to October 25, 1883
Benjamin Butterworth - October 26, 1883 to March 20, 1885
Martin Van Buren Montgomery - March 21, 1885 to April 6, 1887
Benton J. Hall - April 7, 1887 to March 31, 1889
Charles Elliot Mitchell - April 1, 1889 to July 31, 1891
William E. Simonds - August 1, 1891 to April 15, 1893
The judicial history of this collection is well supported by numerous
sources including the history summary written by John W. Howell, testimony
on page after page of court transcripts, and the numerous exhibit labels
on the lamps. The total number of labels on the twenty-three lamps, either
glued, string tied or etched, is forty six. All twenty-three lamps have
been found to be consistent with related descriptions in relevant testimony
given in one or more of the twenty-two Edison Trial cases. Ten of the lamps
are consistent with evidence entered in two or more court cases. Witness
testimony confirms seventeen of the labels as physical evidence.
Research thus far and physical examination of the artifacts, especially
the court labels, are consistent with relevant judicial history. Pleadings,
testimony from witnesses, and opinions from experts regarding the lamps
are consistent with the evidence in the wooden box and with the body of
papers, published articles, notebooks, photographs, sketches, and volumes
of transcripts. The specimens in the collection are consistent with related
actions in the complex matrix of the twenty two legal proceedings that
ultimately formed what is referred to collectively today as "Edison
Electric Light. vs. U.S. Electric Light" or more commonly known as
the "Edison Trials."
There is persuasive data enough to establish the Edison Trial Evidence
Collection is well represented in the Edison Trails evidence. (Sources
include court transcripts, documents, drawings, and patents, as well as
out of print books and information verified with the Edison Papers archive
at Rutgers University.)
The Discovery - The Lamps
A small wooden box recently found in a dark dusty attic in New
Jersey (USA) has turned out to be a very special historic discovery. The
box contains a number of extremely rare electric incandescent lamps hand
crafted by five Victorian Era inventors. Four where perhaps history's most
renowned electric light inventors. The fifth is John White Howell: Edison
Menlo Park Pioneer, key witness in the Edison Trials, 1925 Edison Medalist,
and a founding member of General Electric's Society of Incas.
Tracing Ownership - after the Edison Trials, the box was passed
from John Howell to his friend and colleague, Jacob W. Anspach. The attic
where the box was found was the home of Jacob Anspach. Mr. Anspach
was Manager of the Newark Lamp Works of the Edison Lamp Works
in Newark, NJ (c. 1925). In 1926, Mr. Anspach was admitted to the Society
of Incas along with his friend and colleague, John W. Howell. Upon Mr.
Anspach's death, his estate passed to his wife then his daughters and finally
to his grandson. In 2001, during the task of sorting through
several lifetimes of family mementos the grandson discovered the forgotten
box of lamps in the Anspach attic.
The Wooden Box - A dark patina pine box with half lap-joint construction
and pinned corners, lid is hinged on raised edge with a sunken 2-lever
lock (with key). The interior is fitted with interlocking waxed card partitions
for 24 specimens, as identified at trial as Edison Exhibit #1, the "Tar-putty
box" - 17.3/8in. (44.2cm) wide, 7.9/16in. (19.2cm) high, 12in.
(30.5cm) deep (with key)
Twenty-Three very rare incandescent light bulb specimens and
prototypes were recently discovered in an attic. The majority date between
1880 and 1883, and were made by Sir Joseph W. Swan; St. George Lane-Fox,
Sir Hiram S. Maxim, and Thomas A. Edison. The seven Tar-putty lamps were
made by Edison Pioneer, John W. Howell in 1890. Each lamp bears a paper
label for identification in the box and on the Howell note. Some have additional
exhibition labels and makers' notes. Each is held in the wooden chest by
waxed card partition pigeon hole compartments. In addition, Two period
jeweler's loupes were also found in the box with the brief description
of each lamp specimen.
Collection Manuscript - Found in the box is a single sheet of
note paper, printed with "211 BALLANTINE PARKWAY," the first
line home address in 1900 of Edison Pioneer, John White Howell. The hand
writing matches known Howell samples. The note, inscribed in black ink
in Howell's hand, gives a full list of the collection in order of the quartered
courtroom labels. Each description details who made each specimen and when;
and three further pieces of paper, as found in the chest after its discovery:
"1-"Hairpin" Tar putty Lamp taken to Lab. For Chicago Exhibit,
Jan 30/93"; and "#8 Coiled bamboo carbon filament Made in Menlo
Park 1881."
John W. Howell Address, Published References - 211 Ballantine Parkway,
"Book of the Incas", Society of Incas, 1928; "Stories for
my Children", J. W. Howell, 1930, p.33.
The Note - (the inscription) 7 lamps have filaments made of lamp
black and tar in accordance with description in Edison's fundamental lamp
patent. These lamps were made by J.W. Howell in 1890 for exhibits in the
patent suit - 3 lamps have coiled bamboo carbon filaments made in Menlo
Park 1881 - 6 lamps made by Hiram S. Maxim 1880 to 1882 - 2 Swan lamps
, one made in 1881 and one later about '84 or '85 -1 lamp made by British
Elec. Light Co. shown at Paris Electrical Exposition 1881 -1 lamp used
by Edison in 1883 in his experiments on the Edison effect - l lamp made
in Menlo Park in 1880 or '81 - filament made by compressing graphite. This
lamp measured by J.W. Howell had a negative temperature coefficient, and
it proved to us that the deposit put on a carbon filament during the treating
process was graphite -1 lamp has 2 treated bamboo carbon filaments in series
made about 1894
Lamp No. 1 to 7 - Edison Electric Light Company vs. United
States Electric Light Company
Tar-putty lamps, made in the spring of 1890 by Edison's key witness,
John W. Howell, made specifically as exhibits in the famous Edison patent
suit. Labels - each X'ed out number matched to Deshler testimony from
Transcript, Volume V, starting pg. 3505.
Lamp No. 8 to. 10 - U.S. Patent Office Declaration of Interference,
Sawyer and Man vs. Edison
Edison patent models with coiled filament made of bamboo, not carbonized,
but rubbed with lamp black, made at Edison's laboratory in Menlo Park in
1881 for Edison's legal defense in the Patent Interference Declaration
issued against the Sawyer and Man lamp by the Patent Commissioner on September
23, 1880.
Lamp No. 11 to 16 - Swan vs. Maxim vs. Edison
Maxim lamps and specimen with International Electrical Exhibition
label, hand written by William H. Meadowcroft, "Maxim Lamp Rec'd from
Hiram S. Maxim nov. 1880" of card stock with string fastener.
Lamp No. 17 - Swan vs. Maxim vs. Edison
Swan lamp made prior to EdiSwan collaboration by Sir Joseph Swan, circa
1884 - made for spring-clip socket invented by Joseph Swan's Chief Engineer,
Henry Edmunds, see Edmunds U.S. Patent 288,217. Maxim U. S. Patent 230,310,
Defendant's Exhibit, Commissioner's Decision. - Ex parte Maxim. Additional
published reference, to Lamp 16 - "Edison's Electric Light, Biography
of an Invention" R. Friedel, P. Israel and B. S. Finn, Rutgers
University Press, 1985/87 p.194;"Evolution of the Electric Incandescent
Lamp", Franklin Leonard Pope, Boschen & Wefer, 1894, p. 79.
Lamp No. 18 - Swan vs. Maxim vs. Edison
Swan lamp, made for 1881 Paris Electric Exhibition. Only complete 1881
specimen known to exist from Paris Opera Theatre chandelier, with International
Electrical Exhibition label, hand written by William H. Meadowcroft, "Swan
Lamp & Socket Paris Elec. Exh. 1881 Rec'd fr. H. Edmunds 1881"
of card stock with string fastener. Henry Edmunds Proprietor, Swan Patents
and Designer of 1881 Paris Opera House Swan 600 lamp Chandelier, Source
- "Engineering" (News) 21 October 1881, p. 418.
Lamp No. 19 - Edison and Swan Co. vs. Woodhouse and Rawson
Lane Fox British Electric Company lamp Earliest exhibited form made
for 1881 Paris Electric Exhibition. Only complete 1881 specimen known to
exist from 1881 Paris Electrical Exposition. International Electrical Exhibition
label, hand written by William H. Meadowcroft, "British Elec. Light
Lamp Paris Elec. Exh. 1881 Rec'd fr. Company London Oct. 1881" of
card stock with string fastener.
Lamp No. 20 - Edison vs. Thomson
Edison Effect lamp, earliest documented by Edison Pioneer John W. Howell,
"used by Edison in 1883 in his experiments on the Edison Effect."
Observing what Edison described as his "blue air" phenomena,
the perplexing electrical disturbance he first discovered on September
8, 1879 became a focus of experimentation. Frances Upton wrote of this
event that day, "The aluminum electrode became bright yellow in the
blue light with some green phosphorescence. At one time the yellow electrode
could be made to change phase by heating. It would jump over and then dance
as if uncertain where to stay after the flame was taken away." Edison
then created this center wire anode working model. Eminent Scientist, Sir
William Preece, was not to report his own research on the "blue effect"
until March 26, 1885 in which he named it the Edison Effect.
Lamp No. 21 - Cazin, F.M.F. vs. Welsback Light Co.
Edison "Graphite" lamp, made at Menlo Park, tested by J. W.
Howell (opened at tip to extract sample graphite filament for test, marked
February 18, 1882 (date etched on globe by J.W. Howell). Additional published
reference,"Menlo Park Reminiscences", Edison Pioneer Frances
Jehl© , 1936, p.374.
Lamp No. 22 - Cazin, F.M.F. vs. Welsback Light Co.
Edison "Twin Hairpin" lamp, treated bamboo carbon filaments
connected in series, formed in electric resistance furnace (3,500 deg.
C). Became series design to "Edison GEM" lamp (acronym - General
Electric Metallized), graphite coating on carbon filament took on metal
properties during electric furnace treatment.
Lamp No. 23 (not numbered) - Swan vs. Maxim
vs. Edison
Open Lamp Specimen, originally from 600-light Swan Chandelier in Paris
Opera Theatre, 1881 Paris Electrical Exhibition. Open lamp specimen gives
a rare inside view of intricacies of Swan craftsmanship. International
Electrical Exhibition label, hand written by William H. Meadowcroft, "Swan
Lamp Buffet, Paris Elec. Exh. 1881, Rec'd fr. H. Edmunds 1881" of
card stock with string fastener.
Two Jeweler's Loupes
Both loupes were found at the bottom of the wooden box. One is a moulded
ebonite bell loupe, with early repair made of brass wire. The other is
of ivory of curved cylindrical form with a recessed lens. Both were used
no doubt by Howell and the court to examine Edison's Tar-putty lamp filament
Exhibits.
William Henry Meadowcroft
Notary for the Court, New York Southern District, signed in countless
exhibits for Edison Infringement trials, also conducted and notarized depositions
throughout the proceedings. Later, after trials, became Edison's life long
personal secretary and publicist, coauthor of biography, "Edison,
His Life and Inventions" New York: Harper & Bros., 1910.
Henry Edmunds, Jr.
British engineer, met Edison in 1877, became Edison European associate,
became partner in Swan electric lamp development in 1881, Edmunds designed
and installed Swan Opera House Chandelier at Paris 1881 Electrical Exhibition,
patented Swan lamp hook socket in 1883 - U.S. Patent 288,217.
|
