J. M. Gaugain, “Notes sur un appareil electrique qui fait fonction de soupage”, in Comptes Rendus, Paris, vol. 40, #12, p. 640-2; 19 March, 1855. Removed from a larger bound volume, containing the full weekly issue of pp 597-648. Lacks the original outer wrappers.

Offered with: “Note sur la stratification de la lumiere electrique”, same volume, pp 1036-7, offered in the original weekly issue, removed from a larger bound volume, lacking the original wrappers.  The two: $150

On the first paper: “Experiments with low-pressure glow discharges started very early in the electrical art. Most of them were in small diameter glow tubes, often in the form called Geissler tubes. The first recognition of the fact that such a glow tube having its two electrodes of different size was capable of rectifying the oscillating current from an induction coil appears to have been that of Gaugain in 1855.”–”Development of Gas Discharge Tubes”, J.D. Cobine, in Proceedings of the IRE, May 1962.

Also see GWA Dummer, Electronic Inventions 1745-1976, pg 40, 1855. “Experiments with low-pressure glow discharges started very early in the electrical art…the first recognition of the fact that such a glow tube having its two electrodes of different size was capable of rectifying the oscillating current from an induction coil appears to have been that of Gaugain in 1855…”