Bold, perfect ink “umbrella” signature, “Thos. A. Edison,” on an off-white 4.5 x 3 card. The card is accompanied by a letter of transmittal, secretarially signed “Edison,” one lightly lined page, 7.5 x 9.75, April 3, 1878. In full: “Yours of the 1st received in reply would say that I think its uses will far exceed the telephone. The cost of the machine will be about $100. Enclosed you will find my autograph thanking you for your good wishes.” Also included is the original transmittal envelope bearing a Menlo Park postmark of the same date. The patent for Edison’s “talking machine,” which revolutionized sound recording and gave birth to an entire industry, was awarded just weeks earlier, on February 19. While Edison readily obliged the scores of autograph requests he received, signatures of such sheer beauty, of such early date, and with such significant documentation occupy a very exclusive echelon. In very fine, fresh condition. A simply stellar example! R&R COA.
