Edison Foil: or, Whatzit?

[Cody K]

What's this?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Framed-Piece-Or ... SwDuJWxmU1

From the listing: "I have no idea as to the authenticity of this piece. It came from a 40+ year collection which really means nothing except it's been around at least 40+ years and there probably wasn't much of a market for fakes back then... but who knows - buy at your risk.

According to Wikipedia the "Edison Speaking Phonograph Company" was the immediate predecessor to the North American Phonograph Company so at least that's authentic!"


Somebody around here will know -- I sure don't! (I don't guess the seller does either, really. At least he/she's being pretty honest about it.)

[victorIIvictor]

Back when Allen Koenigsberg had his phonobooks website up and running, he used to offer what he stated was on original piece of phonograph tinfoil from 1878 free with the purchase of his Patent History of the Phonograph, 1877-1912. Thus, I got a piece of this tinfoil, although I didn't get a frame and a title card.

Perhaps that's the source of this?

Best wishes, Mark

[Cody K]

Well, Koenigsberg would be a pretty believable source, I'd guess, if that's where this came from. How did your remnant come packaged? It seems like such a fragment, fragile as it is, would reasonably be sold framed or otherwise well-protected. Tabbed into the book?

[victorIIvictor]

Cody K asked, "How did your remnant come packaged? It seems like such a fragment, fragile as it is, would reasonably be sold framed or otherwise well-protected. Tabbed into the book?"

No, it was just inserted between 2 pages like a bookmark. Actually, that is a good place to keep a piece of tinfoil from being further creased. Remember, Mr. Koenigsberg wasn't really selling the piece of tinfoil; it was just a little "extra" that he threw in with the book order.

Similarly, he offered a package of medium tone needles with another one of his books. None of this was necessary; the books sold themselves. But it was a nice touch

Best wishes, Mark.

[victorIIvictor]

so once again tonight I use the Internet Archive's Way back Machine for the free piece of tin foil offer:

https://web.archive.org/web/20090201105 ... books.com/

Look around down in the middle of the page under the Patent History of tthe Phonograph.

Best wishes, Mark

[TinfoilPhono]

The foil in Allen's Patent book was a tiny piece, maybe a quarter-inch square.

The eBay foil is authentic. I know because I made that display in the late 1990s.

I got a scrap of foil from a collector who owns an original Edison Parlor Model tinfoil that came with a partially-filled box of foil labeled J.J. Crookes. After Bergmann got out of the foil business in 1878 he referred people to Crookes, who held a patent for a process laminating lead foil to a core of tin.

I cut a few pieces from the scrap and mounted them to cards as you see in the auction, and framed them. I never sold any, I gave them away to some friends. I'm quite sure I know where the eBay card comes from -- a collector who unfortunately died a year or so ago.

[phonogfp]

The foil in Allen's Patent book was a tiny piece, maybe a quarter-inch square.

Here's the title page of the book in question:

After Bergmann got out of the foil business in 1878 he referred people to Crookes, who held a patent for a process laminating lead foil to a core of tin.

Crookes? You mean this box full of tin foil is no good?

Just kidding - - the box is empty...

George P.

[Cody K]

The eBay foil is authentic. I know because I made that display in the late 1990s.

Thanks for that info, Rene. That's as definitive a statement of provenance and authenticity as can be! Much appreciated.

[TinfoilPhono]

Here are a couple of original tinfoil pieces in my collection. The sheet is a full-size 17.5" x 5" for a Bergmann exhibition tinfoil phonograph, which came from a full box of foil found with an original phonograph many years ago. Needless to say, I will not be cutting that one up.

The other is a scrap of recorded foil measuring about 1"x 3", pasted to an original trade card used by an exhibitor in Chicago. It was a very clever concept, a handy way to recycle recorded foil which would otherwise be thrown out, while giving people a look at the miracle of sound recording.

There was at least one other clever exhibitor who put a full sheet of recorded foil into a pre-printed envelope as a souvenir for attendees. One of those survives in a museum in Schenectady. The sound recorded on that sheet was recovered with computer technology a couple of years ago. Video here.

[victorIIvictor]

Thanks to René for explaining the provenance of this eBay offering, and to George for reminding me what the title page of the book I own looks like! [Cue "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" by the Geto Boys, a recording no doubt unfamiliar to most on this list, but apt all the same].

Best wishes, Mark