Videokarma.org

Go Back   Videokarma.org TV - Video - Vintage Television & Radio Forums > Early Color Television

We appreciate your help

in keeping this site going.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-19-2016, 12:27 PM
old_tv_nut's Avatar
old_tv_nut old_tv_nut is offline
See yourself on Color TV!
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Rancho Sahuarita
Posts: 7,184
Zenith showroom sign

No connection - just wondering how this was actually used. Seller says the round cutout is for the CRT cap, but putting it behind the set that way would hide most of the lower graphics (which looks intended to complement the Chinese style cabinet).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311701401160?ul_noapp=true
__________________
www.bretl.com
Old TV literature, New York World's Fair, and other miscellany
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-20-2016, 09:02 AM
Findm-Keepm's Avatar
Findm-Keepm Findm-Keepm is offline
Followin' the Rules...
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,832
Yes, that's the "bell knocker" - the sign could be hung or stand mounted behind the sets. There's a thread over on ARF about it.

I've seen one very similar, but with white trees, probably from the same year. Somewhere on it, in 1/32nd-inch numbers, is the display part number or "piece" number - telling of the year with a price guide. Some displays were for multiple years ( generic Zenith sign, for example, or a logoed clock..) and were reused in the showroom setup.

Independent dealers didn't necessarily have huge showrooms, so Zenith (and others, especially RCA) had displays that snugged up to the TVs or radios. RCA had a little TV/Clock/Radio that sat on a countertop display - one of the same displays sold last fall on eBay. The clueless seller though it was for VCRs 'til I showed them RCA campaign sheet for that year, 1978 IIRC. Every year til '95, we'd get the Campaign binder from in the mail, with model sheets, ad copy, cassettes for sales instruction ("AccuColor improves on the already superior color these televisions can display.."), and big fold outs with the whole line of TVs and accessories - you'd need ~50 square feet to hang it. I still have the binders, the contents were disposed of years ago.

RCA charged for their displays, unless you bought several hundred sets. TV toppers, hang tags, and the Silk RCA wall badge were free if you talked nice to the distributor. TV toppers were for displaying portables atop consoles, and protected the console cabinet. They could be funny, stylish, or utilitarian. My favorite was "Oh no, someone bought the RCA XL100 that once sat here - don't worry, we can get more!" Somewhere in my attic is one of the utilitarian Nipper and RCA logoed toppers, made of wool. No real value - mine was used heavily.

BTW, no one except maybe Admiral made their displays - all done by Madison Avenue and subcontractors - one was in Ball, Indiana, I remember.
__________________
Brian
USN RET (Avionics / Cal)
CET- Consumer Repair and Avionics ('88)
"Capacitor Cosmetologist since '79"

When fuses go to work, they quit!

Last edited by Findm-Keepm; 09-20-2016 at 09:06 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-20-2016, 10:03 AM
old_tv_nut's Avatar
old_tv_nut old_tv_nut is offline
See yourself on Color TV!
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Rancho Sahuarita
Posts: 7,184
Thanks - all very interesting.
__________________
www.bretl.com
Old TV literature, New York World's Fair, and other miscellany
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-20-2016, 11:43 AM
Electronic M's Avatar
Electronic M Electronic M is offline
M is for Memory
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pewaukee/Delafield Wi
Posts: 14,758
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm View Post
TV toppers were for displaying portables atop consoles, and protected the console cabinet. They could be funny, stylish, or utilitarian. My favorite was "Oh no, someone bought the RCA XL100 that once sat here - don't worry, we can get more!"
__________________
Tom C.

Zenith: The quality stays in EVEN after the name falls off!
What I want. --> http://www.videokarma.org/showpost.p...62&postcount=4
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:51 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©Copyright 2012 VideoKarma.org, All rights reserved.