Edison "New Year's Eve" Lamp

Object Details

Description

Thomas Edison used this carbon-filament bulb in the first public demonstration of his most famous invention, the first practical electric incandescent lamp, which took place at his Menlo Park, New Jersey, laboratory on New Year's Eve, 1879.

As the quintessential American inventor-hero, Edison personified the ideal of the hardworking self-made man. He received a record 1,093 patents and became a skilled entrepreneur. Though occasionally unsuccessful, Edison and his team developed many practical devices in his "invention factory," and fostered faith in technological progress.

Credit Line

from General Electric Co.

1879

used date

1879-12-31

ID Number

EM.181797

catalog number

181797

accession number

33407

Edison, Thomas Alva

Edison, Thomas Alva

Object Name

light bulb

incandescent lamp

Physical Description

carbon (overall material)

glass (overall material)

platinum (overall material)

copper (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 6 1/2 in x 2 3/4 in; 16.51 cm x 6.985 cm

Place Made

United States: New Jersey, Edison, Menlo Park

used

United States: New Jersey, Edison, Menlo Park

United States: New Jersey

Related Publication

Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History

Sewer, Andy; Allison, David; Liebhold, Peter; Davis, Nancy; Franz, Kathleen G.. American Enterprise: A History of Business in America

National Museum of American History. Treasures of American History online exhibition

Related Web Publication

http://americanhistory.si.edu/treasures

See more items in

Work and Industry: Electricity

Industry & Manufacturing

Work

National Treasures exhibit

Artifact Walls exhibit

Domestic Furnishings

Engineering, Building, and Architecture

American Enterprise

Energy & Power

Exhibition

American Enterprise

Exhibition Location

National Museum of American History

National Museum of American History

Record ID

nmah_704361

Metadata Usage (Object Detail Text)

CC0