Artifact #17

Historic Edison Collection

Most Famous Lamps in the World

Famous Edison Lamp Collection DISCOVERED After Century in Darkness

Artifact 17 - This lamp was made by Sir Joseph Swan, circa 1884 - made for the spring-clip socket invented by Joseph Swan's Chief Engineer, Henry Edmunds (see Edmunds U.S. Patent 288,217). Henry Edmunds is also well known for his work on one of the world's most famous automobiles. He introduced two of his associates, Charles Rolls to Henry Royce, in Manchester on May 4, 1904. Together, they founded the Rolls Royce Automobile Company.

This collaboration between Swan and Edmunds had a significant impact on the development of electric lighting in the United Kingdom, and throughout Europe. This style lamp used a spring-clip type socket and was popular in England. Sir Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison, instead of becoming bogged down in protracted litigation, joined together to form the Edison and Swan United Electric Light Company, Limited (electric lighting reference is found on page 78 in the book, "Evolution of the Electric Incandescent Lamp" by Franklin Leonard Pope, published by Boschen & Wefer, New York, NY 1894).

2006 is this lamp's 122 nd. Anniversary

Go To the Collection Group Exhibit

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