Name/Title
c.1881 Edison Compressed Plumbago/Graphite Filament Experimental LampEntry/Object ID
2025.24.3Description
Experimental lamp with filament of compressed plumbago (19th century term for graphite). Filament is die-cut with dies originally used for bristol board filaments from late 1879/early 1880. Filament attached via copper plating method as became standard on Edison lamps by 1881. Filament failure likely cased by resistance built up at one attachment "clamp" point having poor conductivity causing the copper to melt as well as vaporize.Made/Created
Manufacturer
Thomas Alva Edison, Edison Lamp CompanyDate made
circa 1881Time Period
19th CenturyPlace
* Untyped Place
New Jersey, Menlo Park