On December 3, 2016, during a public auction of historical Americana, Heritage Auctions sold a selection of Thomas Edison artifacts for $64,375. Featured in the Edison archive was lightbulbs, court evidence, and the keys to his famous Menlo Park, New Jersey laboratory where he invented the phonograph. The items included six 19th century lightbulbs tied to a famous court case, which were passed down through the family of Edison’s attorney for over 100 years.
“These bulbs were entered as evidence when Edison sued three different companies for allegedly infringing on his patent for the incandescent bulb,” said Don Ackerman, a consignment director for Historical Americana for Heritage Auctions. “Edison’s own keys were used to open the doors of his laboratory was where the genius earned his nickname as ‘The Wizard of Menlo Park.’”
One of the lightbulbs was created by Heinrich Göbel, a German inventor who claimed that he invented the incandescent lightbulb in 1868, years before Edison did in 1879. That bulb and documentation closed at $23,750. Though Göbel had not applied for a patent he served as a witness against Edison when Edison sued three incandescent lamp manufacturers who he claimed infringed on his bulb patents. The set of five bulbs used in the court case sold for $30,000.
“Both ‘original’ Goebel lamps and reproductions were offered as exhibits, but there was no proof that any of them were made prior to 1880,” Ackerman said. “This tactic by defense attorneys became known as the ‘Goebel Defense’ and it has since been used in other similar cases.”
The keys were pushed to $10,625 by several interested bidders. Charlie Knudsen, the consigner, had acquired the items from his great aunt, who was married to one of the attorneys of the law firm that represented Edison in patent lawsuits. According to Heritage, he was excited during the auction.
“This is such an important archive – I’m glad it will go to a good home, to someone who also appreciates Edison’s contribution to science and history,” he said.