Lot consists of 3 very personal letters, two hand written and one typed, from a man signed only as Rob to his wife between 1893 and 1904.- NOTE- Special thanks to Allen Koenigsberg who forwarded us information regarding the letters author, which sheds new light onto their historic importance. He writes, ""Rob" is most likely Robert L. Thomae (1857-1906). He was an early pioneer in the field of talking machines and cylinders, beginning in the late 1880s for the North American Phonograph Co. and was involved with the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. He rose to be President of the Universal Talking Machine Mfg Co. (discs) when it was owned by Victor (early 1900s) and also headed VTM Distribution and Export. He was on vacation in July 1906 with his wife and daughter (at Atlantic City, NJ) when he was teaching his young daughter to swim. When she began to sink (a riptide?), she called for help, but sad to say, both perished within minutes of each other.": The letters include:1. a hand written in pencil undated letter on Edison Phonograph World's Columbian Exposition Souvenir stationery. The fair visitor would speak into a recording phonograph and it would be transcribed and typed on the stationery using a Smith Premier Type Writer demonstrating the use of the phonograph as a business machine. In VG condition with folds.2. A 2 page typewritten letter dated July 7th, 1893 on Edison Phonograph "North American Phonograph Co" stationery. second page is blank. This letter talks briefly about the Fair and makes a comment about the Nickel in the slot machines. Stationery gives address as 51 State St. Chicago. In VG condition, with folds .3. Hand written letter in ink on early Victor Talking Machine Co. stationery dated January 01, 1904. The letter is sent from San Antonio Texas. In VG condition with folds.