In an era when electricity was regarded as an almost magical force, objects emerged that united science and lifestyle. Inspired by the early work of visionary engineers like Nikola Tesla, manufacturers in Europe and the United States developed devices that brought technology into private spaces—not merely as tools for healing, but as experiences.
Violet Ray devices were crafted with great care: finely worked housings, noble materials, and delicate glass electrodes that produce a fascinating interplay of light and energy when in operation. They were expressions of an elevated lifestyle—and remain so to this day.
Nikola Tesla provided the crucial physical foundation for how these devices function. In 1891, he invented the Tesla coil, which could generate high-frequency alternating current with extremely high voltage but very low amperage.
Through self-experimentation, he discovered that high-frequency currents (above 10,000 Hertz or 10 kHz) do not trigger painful muscle contractions and do not stimulate the nerves. He felt only a warming of the tissue.
On September 17, 1898, Tesla delivered a widely noted lecture to the American Electro-Therapeutic Association titled “High-Frequency Oscillators for Electro-Therapeutic and Other Purposes.” In it, he officially proposed using these currents for medical purposes.