Hi Shiffy:
With the NY Times, your best bet is go to the library and use microfilm. Ads are indexed in the
scanned versions pre-1981 that are available thru library-gateway searches, so you might have luck
with that. I don't know how NYC library works with that kind of thing.
Beyond Harvey Radio, I don't know who else but remember back then Radio Row was in full swing and
Canal Street was still a place you could find electronic parts (as opposed to knockoff designer
handbag junk sold there today). So there weren't as many major stores and I don't know if there were
any electronics chains beyond Lafayette Radio -- and that might not have been in existence back in
1948-49. Radio Shack, I think, was not yet in existence, although I might be wrong.
Another idea -- go to the NYPL branch with old technical journals and see if they have old Radio &
TV News and Audio Engineering magazines from that era.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Art Shifrin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 1:49 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] archaic pricing sought for early recording tape and machines, circa 1948 -
1949 IN THE U.S.A.
> Hi tom,
>
> Thanks for replying quickly. FYI I did check the fabulous relatively new
> on-line Popular Science archive & found some references including ads, but
> none contained prices. There were fewer items than I arbitrarily expected.
> A problem with that daabase is that you have to second guess probable key
> words (as compared to conceptual or thematic). But it's fascinating to roam
> & find articles about other topics.
>
> Do you happen to know if the NY Times' index includes advertisements?
>
> The suggestion about Harvey Radio's catalogs is astute, I'll pursue whether
> or not others supply actual data.
>
> Can you think of other prominent dealers at that time? I've also written to
> 3M & The science museum in Schenctady (whch has the G.E. archives. Given the
> cutbacks that are so widespread, I'll be delighted if I get something more
> thanp[erfunctory replies.
>
> Best Regards,
> Shiffy
>
|