Pedestal style, backlit dial, with two, tube powered, brass tuning eye indicators. Capable of reception from the standard broadcast band up to 80 megahertz, exposed 24 chrome tubes in the main chassis and another 6 in the power supply (30 tubes total), rare pointer-dial (instead of the beam-of-light which was used in later versions.) The radio frequency section of the …
The “First” A.C. Radio Receiver
Prior to 1925, virtually all radio receivers operated from batteries. The invention of the A.C. rectifier tube made “plug in” radios possible and this one one of the first. Console featuring inlaid marquetry woodwork with lower front fold-out dial panel including 4 tuning knobs. Superheterodyne receiver. The upper round cloth grille features 5 panel cut-outs and stands on 4 fluted …
Tesla Polyphase Motor
Two phase Alternating Current electric motor. Made of brass, wood, copper, steel, iron and ebonite. Four electromagnets are supported on a 9 1/4” circular iron core that reaches 18” at its highest point. The 4-pole rotator is hinged, allowing the motor to operate in a vertical or horizontal plane. The mahogany base measures 22 1/8 X 12”, supporting 6 brass …
Faraday’s Rotating Cup Experiment
One of the first electric motors. Originally conceived by Michael Faraday to confirm and demonstrate Oersted’s observation that a magnetic field exists in a spiral around a conductor. A permanent magnet is placed vertically inside a container of mercury. A copper wire is suspended into the mercury from above. An electric current is passed through the wire and mercury, creating …
Electric Phrenology Helmet
Consists of two parts, a wood box containing a sledge induction coil and three batteries, and a headpiece. The headpiece is of 5/8” wide brass strapping, forming a crown 9” in diameter and 51/4” tall. 13 brass electrodes, each 3” in length, are evenly spaced across the crown. Signed “E. BALZARINI, MILANO”. The induction coil measures 3” dia. x 33/4” …
Edison Electric Pen – 1876
The first electric copy machine, and probably the first practical application of the electric motor. Edison invented the electric pen as a means to produce copies of his correspondence and notes. A small electric motor operates a tiny needle in a rapid up/down motion, producing a series of small holes as the operator writes on specially treated paper. Later, a …
Edison’s first successful electric lamp
The electric light was not invented by Thomas Edison. In fact in the years preceding Edison’s invention, electric light was somewhat common in the form of electric arc lamps that were in use in factories, or to light up the town square. The light from an arc lamp is produced by passing a large current between the electrodes (usually carbon) …
“Edison Tube” Electrical Distribution Cable
This underground cable was installed by Thomas Edison in 1883 to carry 220 volts D.C. from Edison’ first power plant located on Pearl Street in New York city to customers within a square mile area of Manhattan. It was discovered during excavation following the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. A cross section of the cable is shown …
Voltaic Piles – The first batteries
In 1800 Italian Physicist Alessandro Volta developed the voltaic pile, a forerunner of the electric battery. The first pile consisted of a number of discs of zinc and silver separated by pieces of wet paper and arranged in a vertical column. This was the first device to produce a steady stream of electricity (direct current) and could operate for decades. …
The First Transcontinental Telephone
One of four telephones used to inaugurate the transcontinental telephone line on January 25, 1915. The plaque on the telephone reads: “This instrument used by Maj. Henry L. Higginson at Boston, Mass. To open the Transcontinental telephone line with Thomas A. Watson at San Francisco, Cal. Monday evening January 25, 1915. Transmitter cutout & signal buttons added” Higginson, a civil …
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