RCA Poster - Videokarma.org TV - Video

rld-tv01 · #1 10-14-2007, 07:06 PM

I picked up this RCA poster (not a magazine print) at a antique & flea Market expo in rural Virginia. The seller said this poster was from 1930s. Anyone recognize the tube or poster?

Thanks, Richard

***Eric H*** · #2 10-14-2007, 07:13 PM

I've never seen it before but I think it would make a damn fine avatar!

JimJ[VT] · #3 10-14-2007, 07:23 PM

That's actually pretty cool

Tony V · #4 10-14-2007, 07:40 PM

I agree. Awesome find!
-Tony

old_tv_nut · #5 10-14-2007, 08:28 PM

Very cool, but odd-looking to represent TV - maybe an idea of a VHF transmitter tube?

rld-tv01 · #6 10-15-2007, 12:41 PM

I agree it would make a good Avatar. My current Avatar is from the cover of a 1933 children's paint set "future things to come - Airplanes, ships and television". Supposedly the RCA poster was part of an estate sale from Staunton VA. I bought it Saturday from a outdoor booth in a field in Fisherville VA. I also got a 1920s Atwater Kent radio wooden sign. There was also a guy there with piece of glass in iron metal door which said RCA photoPhone (looked 1920/1930). I bought the glass for $5.00 and looked it up on the internet when I got home. I was hoping Photophone was RCA mechanical TV phone but it turns out it was RCA's invention for sound synchrozation for sound movies. I asked the seller if it had the rest of the RCA Photophone equipment. He said when he was loading his truck for the sale last week he took the glass off to sale and junked the rest. So i'm sort of glad the Photophone wasn't early RCA television equipment.

Tony V · #7 10-15-2007, 02:17 PM

You were in my neck of the woods as i live in Waynesboro which is the next town (5 miles) over. I hope you enjoyed your visit. Stuff like that pops up on occasion around here but there are a couple collectors and some Ebay pickers that usually beat me to the punch.
-Tony

Dan Starnes · #8 10-15-2007, 05:37 PM

Very interesting.
Dan

Dave S · #9 11-18-2007, 09:08 PM

Richard,

I asked Alex Magoun (of the David Sarnoff Library and museum) about your poster. Unfortunately, he had no information about it but he referred me to Ray Chase, a mutual friend and a bit of an expert on paper collectibles.

Ray said "Never saw that poster, from the style I would place it as European in origin. Looks somewhat like the 860 series transmitting tube but overall it's pure fantasy artwork. Doesn't resemble anything else I've seen. Have no idea of value, depends on size, condition and who designed it. Is there an artists signature or initials anywhere on it? (Could be very small)"

--Dave Sica