[Thomas Alva Edison, full-length portrait, seated, facing front, between two phonograph cabinets, one of which is made of concrete] – Historic Photo Reproduction
![[Thomas Alva Edison, full-length portrait, seated, facing front, between two phonograph cabinets, one of which is made of concrete], c1912. — historic photograph](https://images.jameslantos.com/img/34/34c81c8d68d1-L.webp)
(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
[Thomas Alva Edison, full-length portrait, seated, facing front, between two phonograph cabinets, one of which is made of concrete] comes to life in this historic photograph, reproduced from the original with every detail intact. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.
Framed, it is ready for the wall; unframed, it is ready for the frame you choose. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Since 2001, Snapshots of the Past has shipped historic prints to tens of thousands of customers around the world.
[Thomas Alva Edison, full-length portrait, seated, facing front, between two phonograph cabinets, one of which is made of concrete]
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Edison sits full-length and facing the camera, flanked by two phonograph cabinets, and one of them is built of concrete, a detail that sets this portrait apart from the usual studio view of the inventor. Around 1912 Edison was experimenting with concrete as a material for phonograph housings and even for whole houses, hoping that cheap, durable cabinets could make the machine a fixture in ordinary homes. The pairing of the man with his product reflects how carefully he managed his public image as an inventor-businessman, presenting the phonograph as a serious piece of American manufacturing rather than a novelty.
| Created / published | c1912. |
|---|---|
| Medium | 1 photographic print. |
| Genre | Portrait photographs 1910-1920.Photographic prints 1910-1920. |
| Notes | J166749 U.S. Copyright Office. |
| Subjects | Edison, Thomas A. (Thomas Alva),--1847-1931--Associated objects. Phonographs--1910-1920. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division |
| Original scan | 4,096 × 3,275 px · prints to 14 × 11 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | AMZ-SOTP-HPA-186782 |
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