Wm. Lucien Scaife, “The Electric Candle”, in Scientific American Supplement, January 26, 1878, pp 1720-1, a dense 1.5 column article of about 1200 words. In the issue of pp 1709-1724, with numerous illustrations throughout the issue. 15×11″. In the original blue wrappers, removed from a larger bound volume. Very Good condition.  $45

“Jablochoff [born 1847] in 1876 introduced his well known electric candle a form of arc lamp in which cylindrical carbons are employed placed in a vertical position and held separated by a thin filling of refractory insulating material…” –(National Light Convention, Proceedings, 1892) This one one of several major improvements on the arc lamp introduced by Humphrey Davy as early as 1806, though none of these electric lights received much public use until the 1870’s. By 1881, Jablochoff’s electric candle had nearly 4000 emplacements, though his invention would soon be overcome by the incandescent bulb.

• This article is preceded by Wm. F. Chaening, “Curious Facts about the Telephone”, about two columns of 2250 words on p 1720. The telephone had been patented by Bell only about two years earlier.