Hi again, I know that Scott's Phonautograph was purchased by the Smithsonian in 1866 (from Koenig), and was presumably on display for a long time. Original cost = 500 francs. Does anyone know when Edison made his first trip to Washington, DC? We know he went in April 1878 for his phono demonstration (Hayes, Brady, etc), but is there any documentation of an earlier visit(s)? Allen **************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home. (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&ncid=aolhom00030000000001)