This is a 1919 Edison Primary Batteries, Inc. corporate stockholders' meeting file, not a single signed letter. It is actually a small archive documenting the annual meeting of Edison Primary Batteries held on June 9, 1919 in West Orange, New Jersey.
Most importantly, it contains an authentic signature of:
Thomas Alva Edison on a proxy appointment form.
Identification
Edison Primary Batteries, Inc.
The company was one of Edison's battery enterprises, headquartered in West Orange, New Jersey, and involved in the development and manufacture of storage batteries.
The file includes:
Notice of annual stockholders meeting (June 3, 1919)
Secretary J. W. Robinson affidavits
Stockholder list
Election inspectors' report
Proxy forms
Notarial certifications with embossed seals
Original signatures
Key Document
The most desirable page is the proxy form:
"Know all men by these presents, that I, Thomas A. Edison as his proxy.
Signed:
Thos A. Edison and dated June 4, 1919.
This appears to be an original ink signature rather than a secretarial signature.
Additional Historical Significance
The stockholder list shows only ten shares outstanding:
Thomas A. Edison (6 shares)
Charles Edison (1 share)
Stephen B. Mambert (1 share)
Harry F. Miller (1 share)
Carl H. Wilson (1 share)
This provides a fascinating snapshot of the closely held ownership structure of one of Edison's companies.
The presence of both Thomas Edison and his son Charles Edison in the corporate records enhances the historical appeal.
Historical Importance
This is not merely an autograph.
It documents:
Edison's business activities in 1919
Corporate governance of Edison Primary Batteries
Relationship between Thomas Edison and Charles Edison
Original election and proxy records
Original New Jersey notarial seals and filings
Researchers often value these records because they show how Edison managed his companies during the later years of his career.
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