Striking oversized vintage matte-finish 18.5 x 15.5 photo of Thomas Edison, Luther Burbank, and Henry Ford at Burbank’s farm in Santa Rosa, California, circa 1915, signed in ink beneath the image “Thos. A. Edison” and “Henry Ford,” and on an affixed slip, “Luther Burbank.” In very good condition, with cleaning and restoration to tears and losses (including tape-repaired break to upper left corner; restored marginal loss at upper right; restored vertical tear through Edison’s “A” and “umbrella” of “T”; restored loss to Burbank’s slip, touching part of “k”), light creases (a few to image; horizontal crease lightly touching top of Ford’s “H”; one lightly touching Edison’s last name, another lightly touching “y” of “Henry”), and light scattered soiling. The overall appearance is appealing and would be greatly enhanced by proper matting and framing.
At the time the photo was taken, Ford and Edison—who had become the best of friends—were in California to attend the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco and San Diego. The trip gave them a chance to visit with Burbank, who later recalled that the two men ‘wanted to know everything about the flowers and the plants...The ladies said we acted like three schoolboys, but we didn't care. We were having a boss time!’ In the years that followed this image, Edison and Ford would meet on an annual basis—along with tire manufacturer Harvey Firestone and naturalist John Burroughs—for lively camping trips. The closeness of the relationship shared by Edison, Ford, and their friends is obvious in this image. A notable and desirable combination! Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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