Artifact #12

Historic Edison Collection

Most Famous Lamps in the World

Famous Edison Lamp Collection DISCOVERED After Century in Darkness

Lamp 12 - This extremely rare and famous 1880 Maxim lamp is inscribed and signed by Edison's engineer, Professor Upton (photo of younger man). The paper label on the lamp base has a hand written note signed by Francis Upton which states, "Maxim Lamp, great rarity from collector's, view blue glass inside post & sealing wax tit." This is the only Maxim lamp known to exist that is signed by Edison Pioneer, Professor Upton. The lamp was made by Sir Hiram S. Maxim (photo of elder man). Maxim was a prolific inventor, he was granted 122 United States Patents and 149 patents in Great Britain. He is perhaps best know for inventing the first fully automatic machine gun. Hiram S. Maxim was naturalized as a British subject in 1900 and was Knighted by Queen Victoria at St. James Palace in 1901 - hence the title, Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim. The 1880 Maxim lamp and socket image to the right shows this lamp type installed by Hiram Maxim in the autumn of 1880 in the vaults and reading rooms of the Mercantile Safe Deposit Company at 120 Broadway, New York (read more).

2006 is this lamp's 126 th. Anniversary

Go To the Collection Group Exhibit

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