[D8839ACK2], Letter from Compagnie Continentale Edison, Louis Rau to Edison Electric Light Co of Europe Ltd, October 16th, 1888

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Title

[D8839ACK2], Letter from Compagnie Continentale Edison, Louis Rau to Edison Electric Light Co of Europe Ltd, October 16th, 1888

Editor's Notes

"re Austrian Patents. We hear that Mr. Cuncan, an advocate of your city who, as he states, acts as Council against you in the patent suits you are sustaining, has informed one of the principal advocates in Vienna that in the said proceedings in the U.S. the representative of the Edison lamp patents in order to try & save the U.S. patents, has declared that the Edison Austrian patents for the incandescent lamps are void. ### You will understand that this is a question of prime importance for us & we have the right to ask of you to let us have by return of the mail a categorical answer. ### Has such a declaration been made? By whom? Where? When? In what form? Under what conditions? ### We hope that we have been misinformed on this matter in which case please let us know what you believe can have given Mr. Duncan a reason to make such a strange statement. ### re New Patents We see that two french patents have been taken out in the year 1887 in the name of Mr. T.A. Edison, viz: ### a No. 187662 on the 17 Dec. 1887 Improvements in electrical lamps by Brandon Patentagent ### b Set 69 - dated 22 November 1887 - Electrical Motors ### We beg to recall your attention on our treaty of the 5th November 1886 signed by Mr. F. R. Upton in the name of Mr. T. A. Edison & of your Company which contract contains the following clause: ### "Art. IV--Mr. Edison undertakes to offer to the Cie. Continentale Edison in the countries in which it has the right to work patents, all new inventions which he may make relating to Electric Light & to the transmission of motive power & upon the same conditions offered by any other person or Company to grant to the Cie. Continentale Edison a delay of 15 days to declare whether it accepts that offer or not. ### "The assignment of such patents to the Lamp Company of Harrison or to the Edison machine Works of New York is not considered an assignment on the part of Mr. Edison. But Mr. Edison will assign to the Compagnie Continentale Edison all new patents & all additional patents for improvements for France which he will take out in America relating to the incandescent lamp... The expense of taking such patents shall be paid by the Cie. Continentale." ### You see that you have not observed in this case the stipulations of our agreement in taking out yourself the lamp patent without informing us thereof & in not even mentioning to us that you had patented here a new motor. ## You have moreover taken out these patents through Brandon, your former patent agent who took out at the time in 1878/80 your first lamp patents with so little care. ### We expect your kind explanations by return on this matter." Yours very truly, Louis Rau

Date

1888-10-16

Type

Folder/Volume ID

D8839-F

Microfilm ID

123:759

Document ID

D8839ACK2

Publisher

Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University
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