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EDISON THOMAS: (1847-1931) American Inventor of the phonograph & light bulb among many other items
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Description
EDISON THOMAS: (1847-1931) American Inventor of the phonograph and light bulb among many other items. A highly unusual hardback edition of The Boy’s Life of Edison by William H. Meadowcroft, with autobiographical notes by Edison, First Edition published by Harper and Brothers, New York, November 1911, signed by Edison and over 100 other individuals, many of them employees of the Edison Storage Battery Company in New Jersey as well as other famous individuals who visited the company, including Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924, American President 1913-21. Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1919; ink signature on a slightly irregularly clipped card bearing the printed address of The White House, Washington, laid down to the head of the front free endpaper above Edison’s signature), William Meadowcroft (1853-1937, Anglo-American Secretary of Edison), E.S. Charlier (1826-1896, French Educationalist, founder of the Charlier Institute), Charles Steinmetz (1865-1923, German-born American Mathematician and Electrical Engineer), George Palmer Putnam (1887-1950, American Publisher, Author and Explorer, husband of Amelia Earhart), David Binney Putnam (1913-1992, American Aviator, son of George Putnam), Thomas Alva Edison Jr. (1876–1935, American Businessman, first son of Thomas Edison), Charles Edison (1890-1969, American Businessman and Inventor, the third son of Thomas Edison; three ink signatures, one dated 1940 in his capacity as Secretary of the Navy and another on a piece neatly laid down), Theodore Edison (1898-1992, American Businessman, Inventor, and Environmentalist, the fourth son of Thomas Edison), Arthur Walsh (1896-1947, American Politician, whose early career began as a recording violinist for Edison in 1915, and later holding executive positions with the Edison Enterprises), William F. Cody (1846-1917, American Showman, known as Buffalo Bill; A.Q.S., ‘True to friend & foe, W. F. Cody, Buffalo Bill’ and dated 18th December 1911 in his hand), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945, American President 1933-45; dated 14th June 1940 in his hand), Miller Reese Hutchison (1876-1944, American Electrical Engineer and Inventor, associated with Edison from 1909, and chief engineer of Edison's laboratory in West Orange from August 1912 until July 1918), Charles A. Boston (1863-1935, American Lawyer, President of the American Bar Association, 1930-1931), Robert Walsh (1861-1928, American Army Brigadier General), John J. Pershing (1860-1948, American Army General, most famous as the commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) on the Western Front in World War I, 1917-18), Harry Bates Thayer (1858–1936, American Businessman, President of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) 1919-25), George S. Fleming (American Actor and Film Director, hired by the Edison Manufacturing Company in January 1901, just as the new Edison Studios in New York City were opening), George A. Campbell (1870-1954, American Engineer), Laurence Eyre (1881-1959, American Stage Director and Writer), E.E Hudson (Sales Manager, Primary Battery Department), Walter E. Holland (Chief Electrical Engineer), Horace Wilson (Edison Storage Battery Co., Mining Scout and Manager of Darby Mine), H. R. Leist (Edison Storage Battery Co.), A. E. Pratt (Chief Clerk, Edison Storage Battery Co.), F.B. Neely (The Electric Storage Battery Co.), C. J. Welcke (Electric Storage Battery Co.), R.E. Darling (Anderson Electric Car Co.), E.M. Cutting (Manager Edison Storage Battery Supply Co. San Francisco), John A. Trumble (Edison Co. New York), Harry Robinson (Edison Co. New York), Norman R. Speidan (Curator of Laboratory of Thomas A. Edison), J.D. Maxwell (Detroit Electric Car Co.), Bruce Emerson, James Orme and Edgar Orme (Emerson & Orme, Buick dealers), Harvey Robinson (The New York Edison Co.) and many others, some of them American military personnel who served in World War I. The signatures appear on various pages throughout the entire book, some of the pages are multiple signed, and many have added their positions within Edison’s company, or their military ranks, beneath their signatures. The book is signed and inscribed to a fly leaf by Henry Lawrence Davisson, a sales and service manager with the Edison Company, on the occasion of the birth of his first child, ‘The first present to Henry Lawrence Davisson Jr., from his Dad, Dec. 14 – 1911, Thursday, 210 West 4 St., New York, “Dave”’. Together with a second unsigned hardback edition of The Boy’s Life of Edison by Meadowcroft, published by Harper & Brothers, New York, 1921. The binding of the First Edition is loose, the spine largely detached and with extensive sellotape repairs, and the inside pages with light age wear, occasional sellotape stains and small tears to the edges etc. FR to about G, 2 Provenance: To celebrate the occasion of the birth of his first son, Henry Lawrence Davisson (affectionately known as ‘Harry’) obtained the present copy of the recently published book and duly circulated it amongst his colleagues at the Edison Storage Battery Company for their signatures. Davisson was also fortunate enough to obtain the signatures of the company’s hierarchy, including Thomas Edison himself, as well as some of the more distinguished visitors to the company over the next three years. Harry joined the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I and, as a Captain in the Engineer Corps and in command of troops, he sailed for France on the USS Tenadores a day after the armistice. It is evident that the book accompanied Harry to France as the signatures of various officers and senior NCOs are also included. Some other signatures were further added to the book over the coming years and an interesting, more detailed history of the book, its previous owners and some of the signatories, as written and researched by the vendor, is included in the lot. A copy of the document is available upon request.
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EDISON THOMAS: (1847-1931) American Inventor of the phonograph and light bulb among many other items. A highly unusual hardback edition of The Boy’s Life of Edison by William H. Meadowcroft, with autobiographical notes by Edison, First Edition published by Harper and Brothers, New York, November 1911, signed by Edison and over 100 other individuals, many of them employees of the Edison Storage Battery Company in New Jersey as well as other famous individuals who visited the company, including Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924, American President 1913-21. Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1919; ink signature on a slightly irregularly clipped card bearing the printed address of The White House, Washington, laid down to the head of the front free endpaper above Edison’s signature), William Meadowcroft (1853-1937, Anglo-American Secretary of Edison), E.S. Charlier (1826-1896, French Educationalist, founder of the Charlier Institute), Charles Steinmetz (1865-1923, German-born American Mathematician and Electrical Engineer), George Palmer Putnam (1887-1950, American Publisher, Author and Explorer, husband of Amelia Earhart), David Binney Putnam (1913-1992, American Aviator, son of George Putnam), Thomas Alva Edison Jr. (1876–1935, American Businessman, first son of Thomas Edison), Charles Edison (1890-1969, American Businessman and Inventor, the third son of Thomas Edison; three ink signatures, one dated 1940 in his capacity as Secretary of the Navy and another on a piece neatly laid down), Theodore Edison (1898-1992, American Businessman, Inventor, and Environmentalist, the fourth son of Thomas Edison), Arthur Walsh (1896-1947, American Politician, whose early career began as a recording violinist for Edison in 1915, and later holding executive positions with the Edison Enterprises), William F. Cody (1846-1917, American Showman, known as Buffalo Bill; A.Q.S., ‘True to friend & foe, W. F. Cody, Buffalo Bill’ and dated 18th December 1911 in his hand), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945, American President 1933-45; dated 14th June 1940 in his hand), Miller Reese Hutchison (1876-1944, American Electrical Engineer and Inventor, associated with Edison from 1909, and chief engineer of Edison's laboratory in West Orange from August 1912 until July 1918), Charles A. Boston (1863-1935, American Lawyer, President of the American Bar Association, 1930-1931), Robert Walsh (1861-1928, American Army Brigadier General), John J. Pershing (1860-1948, American Army General, most famous as the commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) on the Western Front in World War I, 1917-18), Harry Bates Thayer (1858–1936, American Businessman, President of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) 1919-25), George S. Fleming (American Actor and Film Director, hired by the Edison Manufacturing Company in January 1901, just as the new Edison Studios in New York City were opening), George A. Campbell (1870-1954, American Engineer), Laurence Eyre (1881-1959, American Stage Director and Writer), E.E Hudson (Sales Manager, Primary Battery Department), Walter E. Holland (Chief Electrical Engineer), Horace Wilson (Edison Storage Battery Co., Mining Scout and Manager of Darby Mine), H. R. Leist (Edison Storage Battery Co.), A. E. Pratt (Chief Clerk, Edison Storage Battery Co.), F.B. Neely (The Electric Storage Battery Co.), C. J. Welcke (Electric Storage Battery Co.), R.E. Darling (Anderson Electric Car Co.), E.M. Cutting (Manager Edison Storage Battery Supply Co. San Francisco), John A. Trumble (Edison Co. New York), Harry Robinson (Edison Co. New York), Norman R. Speidan (Curator of Laboratory of Thomas A. Edison), J.D. Maxwell (Detroit Electric Car Co.), Bruce Emerson, James Orme and Edgar Orme (Emerson & Orme, Buick dealers), Harvey Robinson (The New York Edison Co.) and many others, some of them American military personnel who served in World War I. The signatures appear on various pages throughout the entire book, some of the pages are multiple signed, and many have added their positions within Edison’s company, or their military ranks, beneath their signatures. The book is signed and inscribed to a fly leaf by Henry Lawrence Davisson, a sales and service manager with the Edison Company, on the occasion of the birth of his first child, ‘The first present to Henry Lawrence Davisson Jr., from his Dad, Dec. 14 – 1911, Thursday, 210 West 4 St., New York, “Dave”’. Together with a second unsigned hardback edition of The Boy’s Life of Edison by Meadowcroft, published by Harper & Brothers, New York, 1921. The binding of the First Edition is loose, the spine largely detached and with extensive sellotape repairs, and the inside pages with light age wear, occasional sellotape stains and small tears to the edges etc. FR to about G, 2 Provenance: To celebrate the occasion of the birth of his first son, Henry Lawrence Davisson (affectionately known as ‘Harry’) obtained the present copy of the recently published book and duly circulated it amongst his colleagues at the Edison Storage Battery Company for their signatures. Davisson was also fortunate enough to obtain the signatures of the company’s hierarchy, including Thomas Edison himself, as well as some of the more distinguished visitors to the company over the next three years. Harry joined the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I and, as a Captain in the Engineer Corps and in command of troops, he sailed for France on the USS Tenadores a day after the armistice. It is evident that the book accompanied Harry to France as the signatures of various officers and senior NCOs are also included. Some other signatures were further added to the book over the coming years and an interesting, more detailed history of the book, its previous owners and some of the signatories, as written and researched by the vendor, is included in the lot. A copy of the document is available upon request.
Autograph Auction
Sale Date(s)
Lots: 1-300
Venue Address
Foxhall Business Centre
Foxhall Road
Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
NG7 6LH
United Kingdom
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Once payment has been received in full we will be delighted to mail your puurchases to you. Lots are securely packed in house and shipments are generally made through the Royal Mail using one of their tracked services which will require a signature upon delivery. Overseas deliveries are sent via insured air mail will also require a signature upon delivery. If you require your package to be sent via couriers such as FedEx or DHL please advise us as this will incur additional costs.
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Important Information
Viewing is available the week prior to the auction at our Nottingham Offices by appointment only. Viewing is also available on the sale day at the Foxhall Business Centre, Nottingham from 9am
Terms & Conditions
Buyers Terms & Conditions
1. Interpretation
1.1. "Auctioneers" means " International Autograph Auctions Ltd. "
1.2. "Catalogue" means the brochure relating to a sale (including any addendum thereto) and any other related documents and advertisements.
1.3. "Conditions" means these terms and conditions of sale
1.4. "Hammer Price" means the price at which a lot is knocked down by the Auctioneers to the Purchaser.
1.5. "Purchaser" means the person who purchases a lot or lots pursuant to these conditions.
1.6. "Seller" means the person who is selling the lot or lots pursuant to these conditions.
1.7. "VAT" means Value Added Tax.
2. Bidding
2.1. The highest bidder for each lot shall be the Purchaser of that lot.
2.2. No person shall be entitled to retract a bid. The Auctioneers reserve the right of refusing any bid without giving any reason and of altering, adding to, dividing, consolidating or withdrawing any lot or lots for sale.
2.3. The Auctioneers reserve the right to fix a reserve price for any lot at a figure no higher than the lower estimate.
2.4. The Auctioneers reserve the right to bid on behalf of the Seller on lots which are subject to a reserve price. The Seller shall not be entitled to bid where the Auctioneers have reserved such a right.
2.5. In the case of a dispute as to any bid the Auctioneers may immediately determine the dispute or put up the lot again at the last undisputed bid or withdraw the lot.
2.6. The Auctioneers will accept written commission bids free of charge from any person who is unable to attend the sale. Bids will also be accepted by telephone and fax at the sender's risk.
2.7. Lots will not normally be sold at less than two-thirds bottom estimate.
3. Payment
3.1. Each Purchaser shall give in his name and address and proof of identity (if required) to the Auctioneers at a sale and shall if required pay such deposit as the Auctioneers may specify.
3.2. The Purchaser shall pay the Hammer Price together with a premium of 27% on the Hammer Price (this amount includes VAT and must not be shown separately or claimed as input tax). By the making of any bid the Purchaser acknowledges that his attention had been drawn to this fact and that he assents to the Auctioneers receiving the said commission. A 22.5% premium will be payable by Purchasers outside the European Union (EU). Zero-rated goods such as books will be subject to a premium of 22.5% whether within or outside the EU unless entered by a VAT registered Seller.
3.3. Items marked with an asterisk * in the Catalogue after the lot number and before the description will be subject to VAT at 20% on the Hammer Price (not chargeable to Purchasers outside of the EU).
3.4. Payments for lots must be made in cash, bankers draft or cheque guaranteed by the bank upon which it is drawn. Lots will not be released against cheques from Purchasers unknown to the Auctioneers until cleared by such Purchaser's bank. Payment is accepted by Visa and Mastercard. A surcharge of 3% plus VAT will be levied to accounts settled by credit cards. Payment is also accepted by most debit cards with no surcharge.
3.5. Overseas clients are requested to settle accounts by USA Dollars or Sterling bank transfer (details upon request), by Sterling cheques only if drawn on major English clearing houses, by Visa or Mastercard (a surcharge of 3% plus VAT [clients outside the EU exempt from VAT] will be levied to accounts settled by this method) or if payment is made on personal accounts in foreign currency the client is requested to add the equivalent of a further £10 to cover bank conversion charges. The Auctioneer reserves the right to claim back from the Purchasers any shortfall due to bank charges or currency fluctuations on that account.
3.6. No lots will be released by the Auctioneers until receipt of payment in full from the Purchaser.
4. Risk
4.1. All lots shall be the sole risk of the Purchaser from the fall of the hammer.
4.2. The Purchaser shall take all lots in the condition in which he finds them. It is the responsibility of all intending Purchasers to satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the authenticity in the authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of any lot.
5. Liability
5.1. Neither the Seller of any lot nor the Auctioneers make or give nor has any person in the employment of the Auctioneers any authority to make or give any representation or warranty in relation to any lot and any implied conditions or warranties are excluded.
5.2. All statements contained in the Catalogue as to the authenticity, attribution, genuineness, origin, authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of any lot are statements of opinion only and are not to be taken as or implying statements or representations of fact. Lots are sold subject to all faults and errors in description or otherwise.
5.3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 5.1. and 5.2. of these Conditions in the event of a dispute as to authenticity of any lot(s) the item or items in question should be returned to the Auctioneers within 21 days of receipt by the Purchaser of such lot(s) together with a formal statement by a recognised expert The Auctioneers shall at their option and without admission of liability reimburse the price paid by the Purchaser in respect of such lot(s). This does not constitute an approval service.
5.4. Neither the Auctioneers nor the Seller shall be responsible for any loss, damage or injury occasioned to or sustained by any person on the premises before, during or after a sale save in respect of death or personal injury caused by negligence of the Seller or the Auctioneers.
6. Capacity of Auctioneers
For all purposes of a sale the Auctioneers shall be deemed to be the agent of both the Seller and the Purchaser and they shall not be considered responsible for any default on the part of either the Seller or Purchaser.
7. Delivery
7.1. Lots will only be released once payment in full has been received from the Purchaser.
7.2 All lots are normally held at the sole risk of the Purchaser from the fall of the hammer. However, with effect from the 1st December 2013, the Auctioneer will indemnify the Purchaser against loss or damage to purchased lots from the fall of the hammer to the point of despatch at no extra charge to the Purchaser. Following receipt of payment lots will be despatched , at the Purchaser’s cost, by the most expedient means of transit (or in accordance with the purchaser’s written or emailed instructions).
With effect from the 1st December 2013 all shipments will be covered for the full value of the goods (including Purchaser’s premium but excluding import taxes) in the event of loss or damage. The charges for this service, which are as follows, will be added to the Purchaser’s invoice prior to shipment.
In the event that the Purchaser has either made alternative insurance arrangements or does not require to take advantage of the Auctioneer’s scheme, written (or emailed) instructions to that effect must be received prior to the goods leaving the Auctioneer’s premises.
Scale of Charges:
Shipment value including premium. Charge
Under £250 £5.00
£250-£500 £7.50
£501-£1000 £10.00
£1001-£2000 £20.00
£2001-£5000 £35.00
Over £5000 £50.00
7.3. Postage is subject to VAT at 20% within the EU
7.4. The Auctioneers will provide full customs declarations on the Hammer Price plus the Purchaser's premium and Purchaser's shall be responsible for any customs charges made by the country of import.
7.5. A charge will be made for the packing of deliveries which is subject to VAT at 20% within the EU.
8. Auctioneers Remedies
In the event that the Purchaser fails to pay for any lot(s) in full pursuant to these Conditions then the Auctioneers shall be entitled:
8.1. to rescind the sale of the relevant lot(s)
8.2. to resell the lot(s) without further notice either by public or private sale and the deficiency (if any) arising from such second sale together with all charges and expenses relating to the same shall be the responsibility of the defaulting Purchaser and shall be recoverable as and for liquidated damages.
9. Jurisdiction
These Conditions shall be governed by English law and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
Online Bidding
International Autograph Auctions Ltd. offer an online bidding service for bidders who cannot attend the sale, however please be advised that a charge of 3% + VAT is chargeable on all purchases made through any of the online bidding facilities offered.
In completing the bidder registration and providing your credit card details and unless alternative arrangements are agreed with International Autograph Auctions Ltd. you
1. authorise International Autograph Auctions Ltd., if they so wish, to charge the credit card given in part or full payment, including all fees, for items successfully purchased in the auction, and
2. confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to International Autograph Auctions Ltd. and agree that International Autograph Auctions Ltd. are entitled to ship the goods to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfillment of the sale.
3. confirm that you accept that an additional charge of 3% + VAT will be applied to your invoice for use of an online bidding facility
