This book covers the years 1872-1880 and contains printed copies of British patents issued to Edison. The patents relate to several inventions, including printing, automatic, and multiplex telegraphs; the electric pen and autographic press; the telephone; electric lighting; and polyform. All of the patents are complete as issued by the British Patent Office. Many are accompanied by drawings. A few of the patents appear in the form of provisional specifications. A provisional specification in the British patent system was similar to the caveat in the U.S. patent system. It protected the inventor for a period of time prior to the filing of a full specification. The description of the invention and the statement of claims were generally less detailed in a provisional specification than in a full specification. The spine of the book is stamped "Edison's British Patents 1872-1880."