RCA RR-359 Display

[vts1134]

Came across this on another website today. I hadn't heard this story before, but I remember the photograph from a presentation by Richard Brewster.

http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/befor...sroo-733486470

Richard's description with accompanying photo is 2/3 of the way down this page.
http://www.earlytelevision.org/rca_story_brewster.html

[peter scott]

I knew of the patent sharing relationship between RCA and EMI (HMV) during the 1930s but I hadn't realised that RCA also shared the Nipper.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipper
http://soundofthehound.com/tag/hmv/

Peter

[vts1134]

I remember being a bit confused when I first saw an HMV logo and thought it was somehow an RCA.

[egrand]

Peter, as you've read by now, it's an interesting history of the Nipper image and its relationship to RCA, HMV, and JVC. Which brings up another point: that RCA's products were actually RCA-Victor brand. Today everybody just calls them RCA.

In the US, RCA seemed to go in spells of its use of Nipper in advertising. They would launch an ad campaign with him, and then he would seem to go away for years at a time. They did always use him on their record labels, and often used the horn and Nipper in a circle logo on products. I have wondered if they were restrained in their use because they didn't have the worldwide rights.

In the 1980's, after they were part of Thomson, they came out with a little Nipper named Chipper. I think JVC also used Chipper. Here's a US ad for RCA with them both in it: http://youtu.be/0wcM06jODb8

Here's another: http://youtu.be/aUNpQqp79FM

[peter scott]

Hi John,

Thanks for the doggy ads. Nipper certainly has lasting appeal, even to the less respectful

Peter

[decojoe67]

I love anything connected with pre-war television. It was a fascinating experimental time in both programming and production of the sets themselves. Those early RR-359 mirror-in-the-lid sets are the true "Holy Grail" for serious vintage TV collectors. They were the first all-electronic US TV's and because of the smaller 9" CRT they are very much like a typical console radio of the period. ETM has only 2 listed as known to exist today!

[David Roper]

Holy grail indeed, but they weren't the first. RCA made a variety of field test receivers over the five-year period preceding the original 9" RR-359, but unfortunately they destroyed almost all of them. One complete and restored 1931 set exists, possibly another partial one at Ford Museum. The Farnsworth prototypes dating back to the late 1920s are all apparently lost as well.

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by David Roper

Holy grail indeed, but they weren't the first. RCA made a variety of field test receivers over the five-year period preceding the original 9" RR-359, but unfortunately they destroyed almost all of them. One complete and restored 1931 set exists, possibly another partial one at Ford Museum. The Farnsworth prototypes dating back to the late 1920s are all apparently lost as well.

You reminded of those earlier CRT sets Dave. It had slipped my mind. I wonder if they actually were used in experimental broadcasts. It seems it wasn't until the RR sets that RCA made the most notable experimental broadcasts.
Joe

[Steve McVoy]

Yes, RCA probably did the most. But Don Lee was not far behind:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/w6xao.html

Also GE:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/w2xb.html