Edison Phonograph Works (Manufacturer, file no releases)

History

• 1887-05: American Graphophone Company proposed a merger with The Edison Speaking Phonograph Co. to Thomas A. Edison, demonstrating their new graphophone to him at the St. James Hotel in New York City. Charles Sumner Tainter opposed the demonstration, believing it would reawaken Edison's interest in his own phonograph. Edison rejected the merger offer and proved Tainter's fears correct, hiring Dr. Schulze-Berge on May 26, 1887, to begin new research on possible cylinder wax mixtures, and founding the Edison Phonograph Works a year later.
• 1888-04-30, the Edison Phonographic Works was organized.
• 1888-05-03, the Edison Phonographic Works was incorporated.
• 1894-08-08, North American Phonograph Company declares bankruptcy, is aquired by Thomas A. Edison.
• 1894, distribution elements of the former North American Phonograph Company are merged into the Edison Phonographic Works.
• In 1924, the Edison Phonographic Works was merged with most other Edison companies to form Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated.
• In 1957, Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated was purchased by McGraw Electric Company and renamed McGraw-Edison.
• In 1985, McGraw-Edison formed Cooper Power Systems in a merger with:
  • Kyle Corporation - founded as Electrical Connectors and Manufacturing Company in 1933
  • RTE - founded as Rural Transformer and Equipment Company in 1947
  • McGraw Electric - founded 1900, prior to 1985 had merged with:
    • 1949, Line Material Company - founded 1911
    • 1952, Pennsylvania Transformer Company

Today, the Edison Phonographic Works still exists, operated by the North American Phonograph Company branch of Cooper Power Systems. It still manufactures blank cylinders, as well as restoring old cylinders.

The Edison Phonographic Works manufactured all the blanks for all Edison companies, including Edison Records, as well as for the North American Phonographic Company and Columbia Phonograph Company (until late July 1895).