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I found this on Ebay and wondered what TIPS means? Can anyone help?

Looks more like "Jips" to me.

At some point, The Edison Phonograph Monthly began dedicating a section each month of "suggestions" for dealers, and salespeople, that were proven successful.

Best,
Fran

Tips was a magazine published by the Edison company for Ediphone dealers. I used to own this original Edison autographed card, which was used on the cover of Tips in 1914. I had framed the original card alongside a reprint of the cover. I apologize for the poor photo quality, I took this years ago with a early, low-resolution digital camera. I will keep hunting for a clearer copy of the magazine cover.

Wow, was I wrong!

Thank you, Rene, for the correction.

Best,
Fran

It was apparently an annual tradition for Edison to hand write a Christmas greeting in Tips. The one I owned had the text typed out at the top for Edison to copy from. The lower part was carefully but lightly ruled in pencil to make sure he followed the lines exactly. That was later erased, though not completely.

Here's yet another, but I can't remember where I found this picture. This is undated and as you can see the magazine editor cut and pasted Edison's text to fit the way he wanted. Maybe this was done earlier that the 1914 one? They might have figured out the format they needed and had Edison follow it.

EDIT: on closer look the handwriting in this one is typical of his old-age writing in the 1920s. Definitely not older than 1914!! You can easily see how his handwriting was declining compared to the previous card. Linking the final S in 'Thomas' to the middle initial and then on to the E in 'Edison' is the way his very late signatures were done.

Thanks for the great information! So what I have is a page that was cut from the TIPS magazine?
Dave D

Perhaps, but it might have been an insert for dealers to frame and/or display. Is anything printed on the back?

TinfoilPhono wrote:It was apparently an annual tradition for Edison to hand write a Christmas greeting in Tips. The one I owned had the text typed out at the top for Edison to copy from. The lower part was carefully but lightly ruled in pencil to make sure he followed the lines exactly. That was later erased, though not completely.

Here's yet another, but I can't remember where I found this picture. This is undated and as you can see the magazine editor cut and pasted Edison's text to fit the way he wanted. Maybe this was done earlier that the 1914 one? They might have figured out the format they needed and had Edison follow it.

EDIT: on closer look the handwriting in this one is typical of his old-age writing in the 1920s. Definitely not older than 1914!! You can easily see how his handwriting was declining compared to the previous card. Linking the final S in 'Thomas' to the middle initial and then on to the E in 'Edison' is the way his very late signatures were done.

I would assume the "Jubilee year" referred to in the text was the 50th anniversary of the phonograph, i.e., 1927, so this being in his old age handwriting makes perfect sense.

:slaps forehead: Of course, you're right!