c.1881 Edison Lamp Vice Clamps & Plaster Collar

Name/Title

c.1881 Edison Lamp Vice Clamps & Plaster Collar

Entry/Object ID

2025.24.4

Description

Edison lamp with mechanical vice filament clamps likely of platinum or nickel with later "plaster collar" base. Filament of carbonized bamboo. Lamp likely produced in the latter part of 1880, but based c. November of 1881. Notes contained in The Edison Papers Vol 6. (citation to be added) show communication between Edison, Francis Upton, and Charles Batchelor discussing the new base design. Upton mentions that the new base allows for a larger diameter neck, allowing use of older batches of lamps that would not fit the previous ("Johnson Bevel Ring" style) base.

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Edison Lamp Company

Date made

circa 1881

Time Period

19th Century

Place

* Untyped Place

New Jersey, Menlo Park