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- Edison Amberol Record, "I Want to be a Janitor's Child," 1912 - In this comic song about class distinctions, a wealthy stockbroker's daughter envies the janitor's girl. This wealthy child lives an overly protected lifestyle and "has" to go to Europe once a year. She prefers the freedom and simpler activities of the lower class janitor's child who doesn't "wear fussed up clothes" and enjoys the amusements at Coney Island twice a week.

- 1912
- Collections - Artifact
Edison Amberol Record, "I Want to be a Janitor's Child," 1912
In this comic song about class distinctions, a wealthy stockbroker's daughter envies the janitor's girl. This wealthy child lives an overly protected lifestyle and "has" to go to Europe once a year. She prefers the freedom and simpler activities of the lower class janitor's child who doesn't "wear fussed up clothes" and enjoys the amusements at Coney Island twice a week.
- Edison Standard Phonograph, Model A, 1901-1905 -

- 1905-1908
- Collections - Artifact
Edison Standard Phonograph, Model A, 1901-1905
- Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Record, "He Lost Her in the Subway," 1907 - Ada Jones was the first female popular singer to have a career making records. Her popular song recordings were largely humorous ones wherein she demonstrated her skill at using dialects. In this song, "the train began to swerve, we went around a curve" and 14 men fell into her lap! She found a man she liked more than her brand new husband!

- 1907
- Collections - Artifact
Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Record, "He Lost Her in the Subway," 1907
Ada Jones was the first female popular singer to have a career making records. Her popular song recordings were largely humorous ones wherein she demonstrated her skill at using dialects. In this song, "the train began to swerve, we went around a curve" and 14 men fell into her lap! She found a man she liked more than her brand new husband!
- Letter from Thomas Edison to Henry Ford, February 13, 1915 -

- February 13, 1915
- Collections - Artifact
Letter from Thomas Edison to Henry Ford, February 13, 1915
- Wax Cylinder Record, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny," 1896-1901 - In 1878, African-American composer James A. Bland -- born in the North into an educated, middle-class family -- wrote this ballad sentimentalizing the Old South for the minstrel stage. Bland's skill as a composer made this song a popular piece in the late 19th century. With the introduction of affordable phonographs and recordings, favorite songs could be now enjoyed at the drop of a phonograph needle.

- 1896-1901
- Collections - Artifact
Wax Cylinder Record, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny," 1896-1901
In 1878, African-American composer James A. Bland -- born in the North into an educated, middle-class family -- wrote this ballad sentimentalizing the Old South for the minstrel stage. Bland's skill as a composer made this song a popular piece in the late 19th century. With the introduction of affordable phonographs and recordings, favorite songs could be now enjoyed at the drop of a phonograph needle.
- Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Record, "Closing Time at a Country Grocery," 1902 -

- 1902
- Collections - Artifact
Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Record, "Closing Time at a Country Grocery," 1902
- Edison Electric Fan, 1895-1900 -

- 1895-1900
- Collections - Artifact
Edison Electric Fan, 1895-1900
- Edison Manufacturing Company Small Battery Motor, 1889-1911 -

- 1889-1911
- Collections - Artifact
Edison Manufacturing Company Small Battery Motor, 1889-1911
- Pro-technic Ediphone, 1930-1940 - Dictaphones and Ediphones were sound recording devices used for efficient oral dictation in business settings. When Edison invented the phonograph, one proposed use was "dictation without the aid of stenographers." Its tinfoil playback medium lacked quality, however. Alexander Graham Bell's Graphophone (later, Dictaphone) improved the phonograph by using wax cylinders for superior playback; cylinders were also used in the competing Ediphone.

- 1930-1940
- Collections - Artifact
Pro-technic Ediphone, 1930-1940
Dictaphones and Ediphones were sound recording devices used for efficient oral dictation in business settings. When Edison invented the phonograph, one proposed use was "dictation without the aid of stenographers." Its tinfoil playback medium lacked quality, however. Alexander Graham Bell's Graphophone (later, Dictaphone) improved the phonograph by using wax cylinders for superior playback; cylinders were also used in the competing Ediphone.
- Edison Business Phonograph, circa 1912 - Dictaphones and Ediphones were sound recording devices used for efficient oral dictation in business settings. When Edison invented the phonograph, one proposed use was "dictation without the aid of stenographers." Its tinfoil playback medium lacked quality, however. Alexander Graham Bell's Graphophone (later, Dictaphone) improved the phonograph by using wax cylinders for superior playback; cylinders were also used in the competing Ediphone.

- circa 1912
- Collections - Artifact
Edison Business Phonograph, circa 1912
Dictaphones and Ediphones were sound recording devices used for efficient oral dictation in business settings. When Edison invented the phonograph, one proposed use was "dictation without the aid of stenographers." Its tinfoil playback medium lacked quality, however. Alexander Graham Bell's Graphophone (later, Dictaphone) improved the phonograph by using wax cylinders for superior playback; cylinders were also used in the competing Ediphone.