Thomas Edison stock ticker brings $7,110 at auction

A Thomas Edison-designed stock ticker brought $7,110 to a Massachusetts auction on June 2

An early example of the stock ticker machine designed by Thomas Edison saw strong results at a June 2 sale of science, technology and clocks.

Paul Fraser Collectibles' own version in brilliant original condition

The Massachusetts auction featured an eclectic array of items, from rare fossils and gemstones to clocks and automatons. The stock ticker provided one of the auction's most exciting lots as a rare example of one of Edison's earliest inventions.

The Universal Stock Ticker, just one of Edison's 1,093 US patents, was developed in 1869 to transmit stock price information over telegraph lines. A predecessor to the modern computer printer, the stock ticker was the earliest form of digital electronic communication.

Although the first example of the machine was not designed by Edison, he radically improved the design and is credited with inventing the first practical model. The example at auction sold at the high end of its pre-sale estimate for $7,110, with the value significantly decreased due to restoration work.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has its own Thomas Edison stock ticker for sale, in fantastic original condition and accompanied by detailed research material.

Elsewhere in the sale two automatons, or self-operating machines, provided further highlights. The first, an automated recreation of Da Vinci's Last Supper, sold for $14,220 against an initial valuation of $10,000-15,000.

The second offering, depicting an eerie mortuary scene complete with bodies and morticians, saw an impressive increase of 117.2% when it sold for $13,035 against an estimate of $4,000-6,000.

See the Last Supper automaton in action here with Paul Fraser Collectibles' preview of the sale.  

Of the impressive selection of clocks at the auction, one of the main attractions was provided by a Benjamin Willard tall clock, produced circa 1780. The magnificent maple clock, featuring all original components, sold for $23,700.

For more fascinating collectibles, see Paul Fraser Collectibles superb unique stock items.

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Images: Skinner Auctioneers & Appraisers