Authored by Frank L. Dyer and Thomas Commerford Martin and published by Harper & Brothers. This two-volume set of Edison: His Life and Inventions (1910) is full of intriguing details! They also have a handful of fragile newspaper clippings from the 1920s–30s featuring Edison and his achievements. The set feels like a piece of living history.
Both books show typical signs of age, with the first few pages starting to come loose from the binding and some discoloration, but they’re holding up well overall. The newspaper clippings are in poor condition, brittle and crumbling in spots—but still fascinating to examine. Some appear to be permanently affixed to the inside covers and front pages. We’re not experts in rare books with hand writing, so we can’t guarantee authenticity, but the contents are certainly intriguing.
Each volume is inscribed to Anna Wharton Morris from her husband, Harrison S. Morris. Anna was a member of the Society of Friends, active in prison reform, a prolific writer, and youngest daughter of Joseph Wharton (a prominent Philadelphia industrialist and founder of the Wharton School). Her husband, Harrison S. Morris (1856–1948), was a businessman, author, editor, critic, and influential arts administrator.
Volume I is dated 1914 and signed “Harris.”
Volume II is dated Christmas Day, 1915, and signed “H.S.M.”
One inscription even mentions that Anna’s father was friends with Thomas Edison, which -if accurate- connects these volumes to two major figures in American industry. Both books also bear a stamp from “Pear Hill,” which we believe is the Wharton/Morris family estate, adding another layer of historical interest.
This definitely a captivating piece with a potentially rich backstory.
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