Posted 13 years ago
scottvez
(977 items)
This cabinet card depicts inventor John Bell Davis of Santa Rosa, California with his patented "Corn Popper".
The cabinet card is a studio shot and shows Davis holding the popper over painted flames near the studio fireplace.
Davis filed his patent request on 12 APR 1886 and received his patent (No. 365,586) on 28 JUN 1887.
I believe this photograph was taken after Davis recieved the patent as it shows an improvement not mentioned in his paperwork. The photograph shows a small metal stand that supports the weight of the popper, making it easier on the user and preventing the popper from getting too close to the heat source.
I do not know if the popper was ever commercialy produced.
Reproduction of this image in any form is not authorized.
Scott
Thanks Lisa and ThriftStoreAddict.
Scott, you were fortunate to locate the filed patent for the corn popper, which really authenticates the photograph. Great research and observation that there is a slight modification in the one shown in the photo. Mr. Davis so proudly memorialized his accomplishment. He probably didn't do a good marketing job since a plethora of corn poppers were produced after his and none had his name.
Some minutiae:
Davis was a Master Mason of the Santa Rosa Lodge, No. 57, Sonoma County, California.
Source: "Proceedings of the M. W. Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Jurisdiction of California, at its Fiftieth Annual Communication Held at the Masonic Temple, in the City of San Francisco, Commenced on Tuesday, October 10th, A.D., 1899 ..."
http://books.google.com/books?id=9uIeAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA365&lpg=PA365&dq=%22john+bell+davis%22+sonoma&source=bl&ots=Dm7iR-bLpQ&sig=0kgFAOh3M4Gza_sSy6yGJGgqUo0&hl=en&ei=H7ShTqTIJa-KsALa-tCQBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22davis%2C%20john%20bell%22&f=false
John Bell Davis is also one of the subjects of three books held by the Sonoma County Library: "History of Santa Rosa Lodge #57," "Central Sonoma," and "History of Sonoma County."
http://catalog.sonomalibrary.org:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=13G9222038LF0.8984&profile=hist&uri=link=3100013~!31568~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab27&menu=search&ri=1&source=~!comres&term=Davis%2C+John+Bell&index=ZNSBBR
The photographer Piggot & Shaw (James K. Piggott), Santa Rose, CA, photograph gallery was almost destroyed by a fire on April 6, 1887.
oops, broke the link above.
http://catalog.sonomalibrary.org:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=13G9222038LF0.8984&profile=hist&uri=link=3100013~!31568~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab27&menu=search&ri=1&source=~!comres&term=Davis%2C+John+Bell&index=ZNSBBR
Thanks for the additional information solver.
Scott
Thanks vetraio.
Scott
Thanks walksoftly.
Scott
Thanks Purdy, bratjdd and Argentina.
Scott
Thank you much tlmbaran.
Scott
Thanks for looking rob!
scott
Very cool. Looks like it might work well, though I suspect it was designed as a single-serving device.
Yes-- I think it was small capacity by today's standards, but in the era it probably fed 2-3 people!
scott
Thanks tom.
scott