National Museum of American History
Edison friction-type keyed lamp socket
1880
Edison friction-base keyed lamp socket, 1880. Wooden shell, brass contacts and key, threaded post connector. An original paper horseshoe filament incandescent electric lamp from the historic demonstration of the Edison system of electric lighting at Menlo Park, N.J. in December 1879 was mounted in this original form of wooden socket. The lead in wires were soldered to metallic strips laid parallel to the glass stem of the lamp and bound with thread. In this way the lamp was clamped in the socket where the metallic strip made contact with terminals representing the line wires.
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