interchangeable electric display apparatus (11. 903)

Via Clive Thompson’s Linkfest (much more to explore there), we learn about inventor George Lafayette Mason’s 1898 twenty-one segment display (see previously) that could produce all the letters of the alphabet, though making different choices than the LED standard that arose with a fussy Victorian typeface that preserves serifs and other typographical fiddly bits. Several hardware engineers have recently rediscovered Mason’s contributions and have made functioning, steampunk versions of his patent.