Description: VERY RARE ANTIQUE EDISON ELECTRIC PEN. Patent Aug 8, 1876. In 1875, Thomas Edison of Menlo Park, CA invented the electric pen, the ancestor to the mimeograph and tattoo pen. It was designed as a manuscript stencil for manifold copies. Known as one of the earliest consumer uses of an electric motor, This motor drove a small needle up and down the shaft of the pen, and as the user wrote, it created a stencil. This stencil was then placed in the press, and a roller was used to squeegee ink through the holes in the stencil, creating a copy of the document. With the development of other mechanical driven (no battery) pens and the mimeograph, these pens faded into obscurity. They were, however, re-designed by Samuel O'Reilly to become the first known tattoo needle in 1891. Out of the few thousands that were produced, only a small number of these pens survived. Pen length: approx. 5 5/8 inches long. Serial Number: 8243 Other Notes: Overall decent shape. One of the contact screws that would've attached to a wire is missing as well as the needle. Patent date and serial number stamped on circular wheel. Untested. Sold as found.
Price: 13500 USD
Location: Glendora, California
End Time: 2024-11-08T07:38:05.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Time Period Manufactured: Pre-1930
Maker: Edison