Genius of Electricity

This statue was shown at the Paris Exposition of 1889 where Edison had many large exhibits and where the statue was seen by him. It portrays a young boy with wings, holding aloft a real Edison bamboo filament light bulb which lights. He is perched atop a gas street lamp, with a voltaic pile and a telegraph sounder at his feet. This statue was purchased from the sculptor Dec. 4, 1889 by Edison through Wm J. Hammer, for 8,500 francs, plus $800.00 duty, plus shipping charges.