Was the CT-100 advertised?

[Chad Hauris]

I found a bound volume of 1954 New York Times magazines out in the barn last night and it had an ad for the 1954 RCA TV line-up, illustrating many black and white models. The CT-100 was listed in the fine print describing the models at the bottom of the page but there was no picture of it. Was RCA ashamed of it in some way, maybe because the screen was small? Was it really just a stop-gap product on the way to the 21" color TV?

[Dave A]

Check out this page from Tom Genova's website on tv history. The CT-100 advertising is at the bottom of the page.

http://www.tvhistory.tv/advertising3.htm

[Steve D.]

Chad,

The CT-100 ad on Tom Genova's site was submitted by me from my collection. The ad is the only national advertisiment I've seen for the RCA CT-100. I do have several local (Los Angeles) CT-100 ads that are from May of 1954 from various stores announcing the availibility of the CT-100 Merill for $1000.00. The ads picture the set with Dinah Shore on the screen. I also have ads from the New York City area around the same time. Also a New York City area store ad in late 1954 announcing that CT-100 prices have been cut in half to $495.00 to "move em out". I have searched for years and never found a national magazine ad in color. As for the 15" being a stop gap set. Probably. RCA had a 19" in the works but skipped it when the 21AXp22 was perfected later in 1954. If anyone out there has a CT-100 ad in color I would apppreciate hearing about it.
Steve