The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

How odd that John Ott died the day after Edison, and Francis Jehl died on Edison's birthday, a decade later. If this were fiction, it would be awfully melodramatic!

George P.

John Ott it is! Thanks to everyone for their contributions. That's what makes this forum great. Does anyone else in the photo look familiar? Thanks, Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote: Does anyone else in the photo look familiar? Thanks, Jerry Blais

I forgot to mention that your photo is absolutely great!!

If my memory serves me well, the man sitting leftmost in the first row is Charles Edison. I don't have my photo collection at hand now but I will check later.

I figured it was one of the Ott brothers because Jehl didn't return to the to the U.S. until after the end of WW I. He and Edison had had a falling out for some reason but it seemed forgiven after the war. Ott was frail because he had fallen down an elevator shaft! He seemed fine at the time but according to the bios, his health...and from this I think they meant his mobility...decreased slowly as he aged.
Jim

Lenoirstreetguy wrote:He and Edison had had a falling out for some reason ... Jim

I quote Jehl from one of his letters, of 1910:

"[...] If that old "yap" of Orange had a purer soul, if he had possessed the instincts of appreciation for those that ment it honest with him, and were blind to all his faults, our future would have been a brighter one too. [...] His utter inattentiveness regarding reciprocation of duties, to those that most deserve this [...]. I have never felt the effects of his loathsome and obnoxious conduct towards us more than now [...]. I say - it is now that I feel the effects of his misanthropic treatment more than ever [...]. I'll admit that Edison was a great genius in his way, but the way was purely that of an energetic, sharp and shrewd business contractor of the Barnum shade. He managed like Barnum to get good men together, and produced his "greatest show on earth." [...]"

Jerry B. wrote:Does anyone else in the photo look familiar? Thanks, Jerry Blais

Any speculation as to the identity of the youngest member in the photo--the kid behind Edison? Also, what would the occasion have been to include all those medal-like pins?

coyote wrote: Also, what would the occasion have been to include all those medal-like pins?

Ediphone Dealers Convention in August 1917.

George P.

I can't identify the boy but I can identify the gentleman sitting to Edison's right: the one beside the Ediphone in the 1917 photo. This is Nelson Durand who was the manager of he commercial department.
The pic I have of him was taken in ten years before,,,when he had more hair.... and printed in the Edison Phonograph Monthly. Those magazines are gold mines.
And the fellow at the end of that row certainly does look like Charles Edison.

Jim

Starkton wrote:

Lenoirstreetguy wrote:He and Edison had had a falling out for some reason ... Jim

I quote Jehl from one of his letters, of 1910:

"[...] If that old "yap" of Orange had a purer soul, if he had possessed the instincts of appreciation for those that ment it honest with him, and were blind to all his faults, our future would have been a brighter one too. [...] His utter inattentiveness regarding reciprocation of duties, to those that most deserve this [...]. I have never felt the effects of his loathsome and obnoxious conduct towards us more than now [...]. I say - it is now that I feel the effects of his misanthropic treatment more than ever [...]. I'll admit that Edison was a great genius in his way, but the way was purely that of an energetic, sharp and shrewd business contractor of the Barnum shade. He managed like Barnum to get good men together, and produced his "greatest show on earth." [...]"

Edison did give due credit to his associates, but it tended to be decades after the fact. In the early 30's he spoke on film about how Thomas Armat's inventions improved the motion picture projector. Nice of him to say that, but it would have been best to have given him credit at the time AND a due share in the profits. I think some of them realized in old age that no matter how badly he had treated them he'd become the Grand Old Man, and reflected glory was better than none.

phonogfp wrote: Ediphone Dealers Convention in August 1917.

George P.

Whoops, sorry that I missed that the first time!