An article from the January 13, 1884 edition of New York World and New Jersey Daily recounts in fascinating detail an elaborate stay-over dinner party thrown at the Newark, N.J. home of the renowned inventor William J. Hammer. Mr. Hammer (a friend and associate of Thomas Edison), titled the mind-boggling evening “Electrical Diablerie,” and made his home itself the primary source of entertainment, fitting it with a complex array of automated electrical devices and futuristic doodads, all of it resembling something out of Terry Gilliam’s film Brazil. The concept pre-dated the 1940’s/50’s “automated home” phenomenon by more than a half century. An excerpt:

“When the guests arrived and entered the gate, the house appeared dark, but as they placed foot upon the lower step of the veranda a row of tiny electric lights over the door blazed out, and the number of the house appeared in bright relief. The next step taken rang the front door bell automatically, the third threw open the door, and at the same time made a connection which lit the gas in the hall by electricity. Upon entering the house the visitor was invited to divest himself of his coat and hat, and by placing his foot upon an odd little foot-rest near the door, and pressing a pear-shaped pendant hanging from the wall by a silken cord, revolving brushes attached to an electric motor brushed the mud and snow from his shoes and polished them by electricity. As he was about to let go of the switch or button, a contact in it connected with a shocking coil, caused him to drop it like a hot potato.”

Read the entire article here.

(thanks to the awesome Rich Hazleton for the tip)

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