VOLUME 13 MARCH 1996 NUMBER 3

World's First Commercial Radio Tower

A.R.C. - THE NATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS OF OLD RADIOS AND RELATED ITEMS - PUBLISHED MONTHLY GUARANTEE. You may cancel your subscription at any ANTIQUE RADIO CLASSIFIED time and receive a pro rata refund for issues not yet mailed. If Antique Radio Classified (ISSN:8750-7471) is pub- errors to ads are made by A.R.C., upon request a free correction lished monthly, 12 times per year, by John V. Terrey, One will be run in the next available issue. River Road, P.O. Box 2. Carlisle, MA 01741. Second-class PAY MENT. Please send in full payment with your order or postage paid at Carlisle. MA, and additional mailing of- ad. A.R r, does not carry accounts; all subscriptions, ads. etc. fiLes. Telephone: (508) 371-0512, 8:30 AM to 6:00 em FT must he prepaid (except for the 6 and 12 month display ads weekdays; machine answers phone at other times. indicated below). Pay in U.S. funds. Checks drawn on a U.S. Annual subscription rates within the U.S. are $36.95 by bank, money orders. 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ART WORK SIZE As Printed One Time (SEND IN THIS SIZE) (size in magazine) Cost for Cost for Cost for Cost for to make 14 x W (inches) H x W burliest .1.ugh LuAughl 6-months 12-months = ALI Full 127/16 x 7 1/2 73/4 x 43/4 $249.00 $664.00 S1149.181. $1999.00" $69.00t 1/2 H 5 1/4 x 7 1/2 35/16 x 43/4 126.00 336.00 582.00 1013.00" 35.00t 1/2 V 127/16 x 39/16 73/4 x 2 1/4 126.00 336.00 582.00 1013.00" 35.00t 1/4 51/4 x 39/16 3 5/16 x 21/4 64.00 170.00 295.00 514.00 18.00t 1/8 2 5/8 x 3 9/16 I 5/8 x 2 1/4 33.00 88.00 152.(8) 265.00 8.50f Business Card (1st) 2 x 33/4 11/4 x 23/8 not avail. 45.00 78.00 136.00 6.50t Business Card (2nd....) 2 x 33/4 11/4 x 2 3/8 not avail. 59.00 102.00 177.00 6.50t • Full page. 6-mos.: 'It due with order; I/: due in 3 mos. ** Full & % page. 12-mos.: V, due with order; V. due at 3,6 & 9 mos. t For hand 12 month ads, no ad make-up charge urns, change is made to ad for entire run. EDITOR'S CO M MENTS piece which every serious collector or student of radio Why not own a piece of radio station KDKA history? should have in his or her library." Jensen's book de- As our cover and lead article indicate, the KDKA Pitts- scribes Marconi's work via a trip through Marconi's burgh transmitting tower was replaced in 1994. Now Italy and finishes with detailed descriptions of his early small sections of it, encased in Lucite, are available for equipment. a donation of $23 to the Free Care Fund at Children's John Springer presents a short article on the history Hospital of Pittsburgh. of the vacuum tube. He begins with Edison's light bulb, When A.R.C. learned of this project from John En- containing only a filament, and Fleming's valve, a 2- gland, we wanted to spread the word to the collecting element diode, as precursors to Lee de Forest's triode community — acquiring an attractive piece of history in 1906-1907. for your collection supports a worthy cause. The article Harold Isenring describes a cure for the noisy vol- by Dorothy Schecter on KDKA tells more. ume control found in many sets built from 1933 to John Okolowicz's series on early Philco designers 1960. A small wiring change is all that is needed to continues this month with an article on Norman Bel quiet the pesky problem. Geddes. In addition to radios for Philco, Bel Geddes You may have noticed that the usual annual index is designed radios for Majestic, Federal, and Emerson, not contained in this issue, The reason is explained on the most popular being the colorful Patriot Catalin the Radio Miscellanea page, along with several other series. Bel Geddes was a flamboyant character whose letters and comments from readers. Photo Review wide-ranging artistic talents extended from radios to includes a rarely seen 2-piece Clariphone receiver ships to the theatre. Drawings from patent applications from 1922 and an interesting Grigsby-Grunow Hinds complement John's article. horn speaker which has a celluloid horn. Alan Douglas continues his tube tester series with A.R.C. on the Web. http://www.antiqueradio.com/ tube emission testers. Alan explains how to identity is our site on the web. Although we do not make ads these simpler testers, which measure only the tube's available there, we do post highlights from each issue filament emission. These tests are less comprehen- including the full radio events calendar and list of clubs. sive than those done by mutual-conductance testers. We now have an interactive order form which simplifies A follow-up on Alan's Minerva Tropic Master, pic- placing orders. tured on the August 1995 cover, confirms that A.R.C. Late Ads. Periodically, we remind our readers that often fills one of its mandates — to aid in the gathering to insure that your ads are included in the current and dissemination of radio information. issue, we must receive them by noon on the 10th, even The Antique Radio Collectors Club of Fort Smith when the 10th falls on a Saturday, as it did this month. Arkansas reports on its exciting cable television debut On Monday, the 12th, nearly 40 more ads were re- on the Collectibles Show. Several club members ex- ceived; they were too late to be included in this issue. hibited sets from their collections on this live cable (Only when the 10th falls on a Sunday or a federal show to an estimated 20 million viewers. Publicity such holiday is the deadline extended.) Remember, it some- as this benefits not only the participating individuals times takes a week or more for mail to get to us, so mail and clubs, but also the collecting community at large. your ad by the first, even if you have not received your Three auctions are covered in this issue. Ron previous issue. Ramirez reports on the sixth annual radio auction at Coming Radio Events. Nearly forty radio events Eric's Auction Barn in Olney, Illinois. An Atwater Kent across the U. S. are scheduled during the month of breadboard brought the top price of $1,475, while a March. And it is not too early to begin planning for the Coca Cola Cooler radio brought $625. Since auction several large meets held throughout the year, such as companies do not always send in the results to us, we those in Lansing, Rochester, Elgin, and Golden Valley, thank Ron for contributing this report and encourage all Minn,, to name a few. Hotel reservations are some- readers to report on auction activities in their areas. times difficult to get at the last minute, so book early. In November, Doug Davies Auctions of Lafayette, Happy Collecting. Indiana, held a 5-hour auction of radios from the estate John V. Terrey, Editor of the late Glen Rogers. Another Atwater Kent bread- board brought the top price of $1,000. Two uncommon ON THE COVER sets brought good prices as well — a Federal 58 sold for $800 and an Airway Type F for $300. Our cover shows the KDKA Pittsburgh logo depict- Richard Estes has continued his very successful ing the original radio tower which, after many decades radio auctions with his November sale which totaled of service, has become history. This logo appears in $30,000 1 A Victor 3 phonograph brought the top bid of the Lucite encasing a piece of the tower now being S875. A Crosley grandfather clock radio sold for $425, sold as a fundraiser for the Children's Hospital of but the Atwater Kent breadboard at this auction brought Pittsburgh. It's a pleasure to know that KDKA's impor- only $550 because of its condition. tant place in radio history will be extended in this Ron Frisbie reviews Peter Jensen's fine book Early unique way. Pieces of the toppled tower could end up Radio —In Marconi's Footsteps, calling it "a master- in all corners of the globe.

3 WITH THE COLLECTORS

KDKA's Toppled Tower Lives in Lucite Pittsburgh Hospital Is Beneficiary

BY DOROTHY A. SCHECTER COMPILED FRO M INFOR MATION PROVIDED BY JOHN M. ENGLAND, JR., KDKA, AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH

The following article is the result of a January atop a 60-foot tower. letter from John England telling of an unusual The replacement tower, erected in 1994, is Christmas present from a thoughtful mother-in- also made of carbon steel. Although it resembles law — a piece of the original KDKA Pittsburgh the original tower, it is equipped with the latest tower encased in Lucite. In use since 1936, the electrical and mechanical technology. The cur- tower was replaced in 1994, but it lives on in this rent transmitter and its identical backup system cleverly devised fund-raiser for the Children's have been on-line since 1980. Hospital of Pittsburgh. (Editor) KDKA RADIO HISTORY After six decades in service the KDKA Pitts- Even before its transmitting tower had been burgh radio tower was toppled in June 1994. put into action, KDKA Radio was making broad- Originally erected in Saxonburg, the lattice struc- casting history. The technology that made this ture was moved in 1939 to a hilltop in Allison station possible was developed by Dr. Frank Con- Park, Pennsylvania, where its replacement now rad, assistant chief engineer of Westinghouse continues to bring the news of the world to KDKA Electric. He constructed a transmitter and in- listeners. stalled it in a garage near his home in Wilkins- In 1939, the original antenna at 718 feet was burg, Pennsylvania, in 1916. The station was the tallest structure in the country, rising 1,900 licensed as 8XK. feet above sea level. Made of carbon steel, man- When the U. S. entered World War I in 1917, ufactured by the American Bridge Company, and all amateur radio licenses were cancelled for known for its efficiency, it had the strongest signal security precautions. However, after the war. Dr. within its range of any other antenna. It broadcast Conrad decided to offset the boring chatter of at a constant 50,000 watts, the most powerful amateur operators cluttering the airways by intro- wattage allowed on the AM airwaves. ducing entertainment. On October 17, 1919, he Over the years, the tower was painted with put his microphone by a phonograph, and there- several layers of orange and white paint, so that it by created a musical radio program. Suddenly, would not present a hazard to aircraft. It also was he was deluged by mail from amazed listeners equipped with a 36-inch rotating aviation beacon who wanted more.

At 6 p.m. on November 2, 1920, KDKA Radio began broadcasting at 100 watts from this makeshift shack atop one of the Westinghouse buildings in East Pittsburgh.

4 Conrad then announced that he would broad- Hastings, Nebraska, who, in turn, relayed it to cast records for two hours on Wednesday and KG0 in San Francisco — all part of an experi- Saturday evenings. When he ran out of his own mental transcontinental broadcast. records, the Hamilton Music Store in Wilkinburg When NBC was established in 1926, KDKA supplied records in exchange for promotion, thus, was one of the first to join its Blue Network, along possibly becoming the first radio advertiser. with WBZ in Springfield, Mass., WBZA in Boston, Meanwhile, Westinghouse applied for a license and KYW, then located in Chicago. By 1939, for its fledgling station, which was granted on there were 65 stations on the Blue Network. In October 27, 1920. At 6 P.M. on November 2, 1920, 1941, KDKA shifted to NBC's Red Network, which KDKA Radio began broadcasting at 100 watts it still uses today, along with AP Network News from a makeshift shack atop one of the Westing- and CNN, for reports and audio clips. house manufacturing buildings in East Pittsburgh. In 1995, KDKA Radio celebrated its 75th anni- The timing was right for KDKA to be the first versary as a constant source of information, en- station ever to carry election results to almost tertainment, and companionship for its listeners. 1,000 listeners, who learned that Warren K. Har- Those listeners have heard the voices of ten ding had defeated James M. Cox in the presiden- presidents, the violence of four wars, and the tial race. news, music, sports — all the sounds of genera- With the success of its station, the company also tions growing up. The history of such a station began to manufacture and sell amateur wireless conveys a sense of the enormous power of radio sets to meet the demands of the growing numbers in the history of our country. who wanted to tune in to the broadcasts. The KDKA AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF Westinghouse Aeriola Jr., selling at $25, was the PITTSBURGH first radio kit marketed for home use. In this same period, the idea of linking radio KDKA Radio has a long history of commitment stations across the country took hold. On January to the greater Pittsburgh community. Among its 4, 1923, the American Telephone and Telegraph first fund-raising activities was the sale of war Company began experiments that resulted in the bonds during World War II. But perhaps no cause first radio network, of which KDKA was one of has been more important to KDKA than that of four stations. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. On June 7, 1923, this network broadcast from Since 1946, when the station teamed up with the annual meeting of the National Electric Light the Old Newsboys charity organization to raise Association at Carnegie Hall in New York City. A money for children whose families could not af- March 7, 1924, banquet for M.I.T. alumni was ford health care, KDKA has engaged in an annual carried by WJZ in New York and picked up by campaign for the hospital. Beginning in the late shortwave by KDKA, who relayed it to KFKX in 1960s, KDKA established its own fund drive for the hospital's Free Care Fund, which was high- lighted by holiday broadcasts from department store windows. KDKA "Firsts" Today, KDKA Radio and Television work to- gether for the fund and have raised millions of January 2, 1921: Calvary Episcopal dollars for the patients at Children's Hospital of Church hosted the first religious service Pittsburgh. All proceeds from Its current collabo- ever broadcast. ration with the hospital to sell pieces of the KDKA January 15, 1921: Herbert Hoover's original tower go to the Free Care Fund, which first radio address. preserves the hospital's mission to provide health March 4, 1921: The first broadcast of care for children regardless of their families' fi- an inaugural address, as Harding was nancial circumstances. This is a wonderful way sworn into office. both to raise money and to preserve a bit of radio March 10, 1921: The first broadcast history. Radio collectors might well respond to from a theatre — the songs of soprano such a cause. Ruth Roye from the Davis Theatre, For a gift of $20 to Children's Hospital of Pitts- Pittsburgh. burgh, plus $3.00 shipping and handling, a lucite April 11, 1921: The first sports cube 2/14 " x 2/14 " x 1/14 with a half-dollar size slice broadcast — a 10-round fight between of the tower encased will be delivered to your Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee. door. A graphic, similar to the one on our cover, is May 19, 1921: The first regular laid on top of the tower piece to complete this government farm reports. keepsake. August 5, 1921: The first baseball Using MasterCard or Visa to order your piece play-by-play, announced by Harold Arlin of the tower, call 1-800-437-5419, or send a check from Forbes Field, where the Pittsburg or money order payable to Children's Hospital of Pirates defeated the Philadelphia Phils Pittsburgh to: KDKA Tower, Children's Hospital 8 to 5. of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA September 20, 1921: The first radio 15213. newsroom established, with a direct link Acknowledgements: to the Pittsburg Post. July 23, 1982: KDKA became the first Mel Check, Amanda Cohen, Shelley D. radio station in the world to broadcast in Johnston, Dana L. Wassel. AM stereo. (Dorothy Schecter, c/o A.R.C., Box 2, CarlisI3, MA 01741)

5 WITH THE COLLECTORS

Philco's First Designers — Part 4 Norman Bel Geddes (1893-1958)

BY JOHN OKOLO WICZ

We continue with John Okolowicz's series of articles on Phi/co designers. Part 1 appeared in the May 1994 AR C., Part 2 in November 1994, and Part 3 in March 1995. In the case of Bel Geddes, we learn about a dynamic designer with a much wider range than Phi/co alone. John encourages more reader contributions to the book he is writing on industrial designers. (Editor)

The name Norman Bel Geddes has a familiar ring for most collectors. For some, it may be the name inscribed on the inside of the majestically designed Philco 112L lowboy console, patent design 85,473, shown in Figure 1, or the Philco 112H, patent design 85,818, a highboy console shown in Figure 2. For others it may be his association with the Emerson Patriot small table

Figure 2. The Phi/co 112H, a highboy console, from a patent application filed June 30, 1931.

radio, shown in Figure 3. Indeed, he was much, much more than that. He was truly one of the all- time giants of the design and theater professions, as well as a visionary whose ideas helped shape the 20th century. Bel Geddes, shown in a characteristic pose in Figure 4, was a dynamic individual possessing a great deal of what we would term "chutzpah" and "street smarts." His life was a real manifestation of the Horatio Alger story. A keen observer of the world around him with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, he acquired all training on his own. Norman Bel Geddes was born to a struggling family in the tiny town of Adrian, Michigan, about 30 miles southwest of Detroit. After his father's Figure 1. The Philco 112L, a lowboy console, from death, he had to go to work at the age 01 13. His a patent application filed August 15, 1931. mother's grit held the family together. It was she

6 theater work, to oversee his designs for the Frank- lin Simon Department Store windows. She subse- quently became his second wife in 1933, but more immediately helped him professionally by introducing him to her uncle, Stanley Resor, pres- ident of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agen- cy. This connection exposed him to a ready list of well-heeled clients who needed his services. Bel Geddes' firm varied from 15 to 30 people during this period, and although he was not for- mally schooled he always hired the best and brightest young talent fresh from MIT, Yale, and other big name schools. The fact that he was an extremely demanding taskmaster, whose firm Figure 3. The colorful red, white, and blue design grew and shrank with the jobs at hand, did not of the Emerson Patriot, Model 400, was inspired deter designers from joining his firm. They were by the flag. anxious to learn from him, and many of his pro- teges, such as Henry Dreyfus, later went on to who encouraged his interest in the arts and pro- open offices of their own. vided him with the inspiration to succeed. However, his unspectacular performance in THE PHILCO CONNECTION school was abruptly terminated in the ninth grade Bel Geddes realized the importance of publici- when he was caught caricaturing the principal on ty. He was one of the first of the pioneer consult- the blackboard. He then finagled a deal with the ant designers to receive public notice when an Art Institute of Chicago to allow him to work there extensive profile of him appeared in the July 1930 in exchange for art lessons, but even that lasted issue of Fortune magazine. Quick to seize the for only seven weeks. moment, Philco's alert management retained Bel Using his considerable natural artistic skill, he Geddes in September 1930 to design some of its survived by doing everything from painting street- radio cabinets. side caricatures to performing a magic routine in Bel Geddes signed a very lucrative 5-year con- a short-lived vaudeville act. Recognition as an tract with Philco providing for an annual retainer illustrator eventually led to a job with a New York of S25,000 plus costs not to exceed S49.000 a City opera company from which his career really year. The contract stipulated that each cabinet skyrocketed. This successful association estab- would carry the "NBG" monogram and the words lished his international reputation in stagecraft "This cabinet designed by Norman Bel Geddes," design. In all, he designed 200 productions rang- ing all the way from operas at the Met to non- legitimate theatre, such as the Ringling Brothers Circus. An instinctive flair for showmanship led to his adopted moniker "Bel Geddes." Collaborating with his wife Helen Belle, he wrote articles about art and theater which were signed "Norman and Belle Geddes." As the story goes, the name was once changed to "Norman Belle-Geddes" due to a print- er's error, and Norman let the error stand. After his divorce in 1932, he kept the name but dis- pensed with the hyphen — hence Norman Bel Geddes.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Tackling industrial design problems for friends started out as Bel Geddes' hobby and served as an outlet for his abundant creative energies. At the youthful age of 34 in 1927, he took on his first real design assignment — an automobile for his friend Ray Graham, owner of the Graham-Paige Company. As Bel Geddes put it, "I wanted to design a car five years ahead of its time." His final design for the car was supposed to be gradually phased in over a 5-year period so that the tooling costs could be distributed over the whole span of time. Although the car was very attractive and foreshadowed later trends, such as Figure. 4. Norman Be! Geddes, definitelya man of a rounded front, concealed fuel tank and trunk, distinction in his time. (Photo courtesy of Melissa and minimum moldings, it was never produced. Miller, The Harry Ransom Humanities Research At about this time Bel Geddes hired Frances Center, University of Texas at Austin) Resor Waite, a young woman who admired his (Continued on following page)

7 Figure 5. A Philco Model 370 chairside, also known as a Phi/co Model 71LZ chairside.

(Norman Bel Geddes. continued) but it did not require Bel Geddes personally to attend conferences or to create and execute the designs. Geddes abhorred radios that were hidden in Figure 6. A Philco Model 212 radio/phonograph familiar objects, such as clocks, bookcases, and console. desks, because of a designer's inability to pack- age them properly. He also did not believe in 3-month long, market research campaign to de- piling gobs of "applied art" onto superficially de- termine styling preferences. His staff traveled signed packaging. The console radio should stand coast to coast interviewing 100 dealers and 288 on its own as both a functional and beautiful users. Some of the penciled in comments on the object, according to Bel Geddes. survey sheets still ring true today. For example, in To validate his ideas, he undertook a massive, answer to the question "What criticism have you of present radio programs'?" the reply was "too much advertising." The market research tab came Philco Models designed by the to a little over $9,000. Bel Geddes firm:

Model Style Sales

112 L Lowboy console 28,857 112 H Highboy console 12,043 370 Chairside 16,285 71 LZ Chairside ?? 212 Radio/phono console 1,900 220 Radio/phono console ?? A Clock/timer 11,100

Philco Models 112L and 112H are shown in Figures 1 and 2; Model 370 (71LZ) is shown in Figure 5. The Model 370 uses the same chassis as Model 70, and the 71LZ uses the same chassis as Model 71. Models 370 and 71LZ use the same cabinet design, patent 85,520. Model 212 in Figure 6 is a radio phonograph with patent design 85,819. Model A clock/timer is shown in Figure 7. Figure 7. A Philco Model A clock/timer.

8 TH E SA T U R D A Y EVE NI N G P O S T Father, to Daughter or Son or Wile,:r,4, THESE CHRISTMAS GIFTS will never lose their thrill

7—TUBE LAZYB OY $69.50 1 1 -TUBE LO WB OY $ 1 4 9.5 0

Complete with tubes. Here is a wonderfully Complete with tubes. Greatest of all radios distinctive and unique radio gift! A new chair- — and the gift supreme in the radio field. side cabinet designed by Norman Bel-Ged- Designed by Norman Bel-Geddes. Genuine des. You can play, change programs, control Walnut, hand-rubbed. 4-Point Tone-Control tone, without getting up. Controls recessed on — Automatic Volume Control — Oversize Elec- top. Pentode Power Tube, Electro-Dynamic tro-Dynamic Speaker — Illuminated Station Speaker, Tone-Control, Illuminated Dial. In Pin Recording Dial — Two Push-Pull Pentodes. Stripe American Walnut, Oriental wood, hand- Also a HIGHBOY at $169.50, and an All-Electric rubbed. Also a HIGH-BOY, $65.75 and an all- RADIO-PHONOGRAPH with doors and Automatic electric RADIO-PHONOGRAPH, $1 1 0, both complete Record Changer, at $295, both complete with with 7 tubes. 11 tubes.

Figure 8. An A.R.C. ad created from a 1931 "Saturday Evening Post" full-page ad for 7-, 9-, and 11-tube Phi/co radios. The old magazines have nothing on us for the creative touch. (Continued on following page)

9 of fine modern furniture." The Metropolitan Museum of Art, recognizing the elegance of these sets, selected the Model 112 Lowboy and the Model 71 LZ chairside for the 12th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Industrial Art in 1931. The exhibition encouraged the addition of beauty and fine de- sign to household objects. Bel Geddes predicted that fu- ture radio cabinets would all be made using plastics, and true to his beliefs, he followed up with designs for two midget 5- and 9- tube radio cabinets using Bakelite. Sadly, Philco felt that Figure 9. "Ducks could take lessons..." is the caption of a Durez the manufacturing costs would be Plastics & Chemicals ad for a ship designed and touted by Bel too expensive, and they were Geddes. "Durex-bonded materials inspire the industrial designer," never made. says Bel Geddes — no doubt, to create a product that will also inspire, Although sales of his designs as the ad says, "many a goggle-eyed mariner the day this super- were respectable, they proba- streamlined beauty slips down the ways." bly were not up to Philco's ex- pectations. This may explain why Bel Geddes' contract was (Norman Bel Geddes, continued) terminated after just one year. That the Bel Geddes name was heavily pro- IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS moted in conjunction with these sets can be seen in some1931Saturday Evening Post full-page ads, Bel Geddes' career was in full swing during from which we have created our own ad, shown this period. He published his futuristic book. Hori- in Figure 8. These Philco 7- and 11-tube sets are zons, in 1931, forecasting many new trends such touted as "cabinets of brilliant distinction" created as the use of streamlined shapes in all forms of by "America's foremost designer." Superlatives transportation and picturing many of his designs abound in these ads — "When you give a Philco for automobiles, ships and locomotives. The ship for Christmas, you give the greatest happiness in shown in the Durez Plastics and Chemicals, Inc. the world...you're sure of the gorgeous, breath- ad in Figure 9 is a prime example of Bel Geddes' taking reality of Balanced Unit tone...What boy trend-setting influence. could resist its thrill..." He also proposed a multilevel revolving res- Universal critical acclaim greeted the arrival of taurant on a tower, much like the one built for the these sets. An excerpt from a newspaper account Seattle World's Fair in the 1960s. Other predic- dated December 17, 1931, states: "Norman Bel tions included the importance of air conditioning Geddes eclipsed himself... He has given Philco in the future of America's lifestyle, as well as the the superlative in radio cabinets." fact that motorists would get around in the world The Greenville Texas Herald, September 9, of tomorrow on multitiered roadways. 1931, reported: "Never before in radio history has Horizons had a profound impact on the public any member of the radio industry made such and undoubtedly was very instrumental in land- outstanding contributions to grace in design as ing Bel Geddes his most famous assignment for has Philco this year through this premier creator the 1939 World's Fair. For that he designed the

Figures 10, 11, and 12. Three Majestic radios, designed by Bel Geddes, all filed on July 26, 1939.

10 GM Futurama Exhibition and the Exhibition The- The advertising campaign declared that "a great ater of Science where visitors rode above a finely artist has given eloquent expression to the patri- detailed scale model city of the future in open ski- otic sentiments which forever stir the hearts of all lift vehicles. The exhibit is credited by some for Americans." One store alone sold 700 sets on the giving birth to the idea of a federally supervised first day the set made its debut. Obviously, the interstate highway system. public approved-of the design. His second book, Magic Motorways, published The Aristocrat models followed a few months at the conclusion of the World's Fair, was de- later, sporting non-patriotic color schemes. Ad- scribed as the explanatory text that should have vertising declared that these sets "have contin- accompanied his Futurama exhibit. In it, he chron- ued the sales success of the original models and, icles the history of motorways and explains his by the distinction of their appearance, have set a vision of how automobiles would inevitably cause new trend in plastic radio design." horrendous traffic problems in the next 30 year