American inventor and businessman (1847–1931) known for developing the phonograph, motion picture camera, and light bulb. Original 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of Edison as a young man in the late 1870s, by Falk of New York, signed at the bottom of the image in black ink, “Thomas A. Edison.” In very good condition, with moderate scattered foxing and soiling, and silvering to dark areas of the image. At this point in his career, Edison was making some of his most significant advances at his famous Menlo Park laboratory. He patented the sound recording and reproducing phonograph in 1878 and first publicly demonstrated his incandescent light bulb in December 1879. A fantastic photograph from one of Edison’s most innovative periods. RR Auction COA.
