Old Harvey Radio catalogs may have some of your answers. Also a careful troll thru the old NY Times 
microfilms at your local library, record and hifi stores frequently advertised with prices back in 
the day. Unfortunately, I don't have any retail literature going back to those early days of tape in 
the USA.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Art Shifrin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 10:04 AM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] archaic pricing sought for early recording tape and machines, circa 1948 - 1949 
IN THE U.S.A.


> I'd like to determine what non-technical factors would have in those years,
> influenced
> the choice of  undertaking a large professional / corporate / government
> archival recording project on tape, wire or acetate disk.
>
> I'm focusing on cost, but am not forgetting required shelf space and
> permanence.
>
> (footage approximate because I'm not sure how they then packaged them)
>
> 3M products:
>
> 111 2400' hubs
> 111 4800' reels
> 112 2400' hubs
> 112 4800' reels
> 111 1200' on plastic reels
> 100 1200 on plastic reels
> 101 1200 on plastic reels
>
> Brush "ribbon":
>
> 1200' (first version circa '46 / '47---presumably the reels were as on my BK
> 401: brown painted steel---
> apparently an 8mm film reel)
>
> as above for but for '48 -'49 (I'm assuming that there were packaging and
> price adjustments)
>
> Disk cutting:
>
> some examples of prices of  professional disk cutting services (and blanks)
> would be helpful. Specifically,
> the cost of one half hour @ 33.33 rpm on one side each of two 16" or 17"
> aluminum base acetate coated disks.
>
> Tape Machines:
>
> other than the BK 401, what tape recorders running @ 7.5 ips (meaningfully
> smaller & less  costly than the Ampex 200A) were available (shipping to
> dealers) in '48 - '49? What were their prices?
>
> Wire:
>
> costs for the various spool type, sizes & duration for 'standard' (i.e.
> Webcor), Armour (i.e. used on G.E. Model 50) & others
>
> I'd greatly appreciate any of you sharing whatever information to which you
> might have access.  I'll be pleased to eventually post all of the data in
> aggregate form.
>
> Thanks,
> Art (Shiffy) Shifrin
>