There are a number of resources for photos/images of pressing plants. Use
the search string 'recording pressing plants 1950'.
Here's a youtube presentation from the 1940s. You could also use
'vinyl factories 1950 images'
When we were at the RCA plant in New Jersey around 1966 or 67 the
production was one person getting a vinyl ball from a machine and putting
it on the master metal disc and pressing it between the top metal master
disc. If the person wasn't careful picking it up while it was too hot,
there would be a slight curve in the edge of the record where the finger
and thumb were used to pick it up. While these machines and people managing
them were spread out, there was also a group making the metal masters.
I would think there would be photos that could be released and gotten from
the pressing plant or corporate libraries. Some of these libraries were
used by the advertising companies and will contain archives of their work.
Here is one for RCA Records;
https://invention.si.edu/radio-corporation-america-photographs
Also: There are other archives of RCA materials: one is here:
http://www.davidsarnoff.org/
Paul T. Jackson
Trescott Research
Steilacoom, WA 98338
[log in to unmask]
trescottresearch.com
On Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 3:13 AM Joe Moore <[log in to unmask] wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> Hello. I am a freelance writer on classical music and am trying to find
> photos from the 1950s showing an LP pressing plant (production line) and
> also photos of a recording team at work, in the control room during
> recording sessions or later during editing work. I have found a few of the
> latter, though they're of a pop music sound team. I'd very much prefer
> classical.
>
> The other problem associated with this is that what photos I have found
> are from archives such as Getty Images, which charges hundreds of dollars
> to use a single image. It's wildly expensive and seems out of reach except
> for large news organizations or those with deep pockets.
>
> So I am trying to find photos in the public domain or that I could obtain
> permission to use more easily (or cheaply).
>
> Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
>
> Best wishes, Joseph Moore
>
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