Television is furniture.
March 23, 2006 11:16 PM Subscribe
Marcels TV Museum Quite why some are pictured on the lawn is not clear. Videos, cameras, radios and 8-tracks too. [via]
There's a real-life TV museum in Toronto (fancy Flash website). I've never been there, but I swiped a lot of info off their old website, and did a phone interview with the guy who runs it for the founder, Moses Znaimer, to write an article in 2002 for the magazine American Heritage of Invention & Technology.
The museum already had 300+ sets back then; people were most fascinated by the fact that he'd gotten the one Marilyn Monroe owned when she died. (The auctioneers thought it would go for about $1,500, but he paid $29,900.)
Some friends of mine were trying to do a business deal with Moses a few years ago, and were impressed mightily by him. He likes to say that there are fewer pre-1940s television sets in existence than Stradivarius violins, and that “Society turns into a culture when it shows an interest in preserving its past.”
posted by LeLiLo at 1:10 AM on March 24, 2006
The museum already had 300+ sets back then; people were most fascinated by the fact that he'd gotten the one Marilyn Monroe owned when she died. (The auctioneers thought it would go for about $1,500, but he paid $29,900.)
Some friends of mine were trying to do a business deal with Moses a few years ago, and were impressed mightily by him. He likes to say that there are fewer pre-1940s television sets in existence than Stradivarius violins, and that “Society turns into a culture when it shows an interest in preserving its past.”
posted by LeLiLo at 1:10 AM on March 24, 2006
Because television is always more enjoyable on grass.
Yeah, but have you tried it - on weeeed?
BTW, those layouts of the first TV linked from the post make me think the text should be saying things like "Likes: Strong signals, good modulation. Dislikes: The test card - boring! Turn-ons: Men who use my switch." Yes folks, it's antique TV pron.
posted by kcds at 3:34 AM on March 24, 2006
Yeah, but have you tried it - on weeeed?
BTW, those layouts of the first TV linked from the post make me think the text should be saying things like "Likes: Strong signals, good modulation. Dislikes: The test card - boring! Turn-ons: Men who use my switch." Yes folks, it's antique TV pron.
posted by kcds at 3:34 AM on March 24, 2006
Thanks lelilo, “Society turns into a culture when it shows an interest in preserving its past.” I think that the sentiment is correct, and I like your links very much.
posted by tellurian at 4:49 AM on March 24, 2006
posted by tellurian at 4:49 AM on March 24, 2006
It's a totally old-school website, but, this site has always been one of my favorites when it comes to television history. Tons of pics of early sets and transmissions.
These guys actually restore early sets...including mechanical tv's.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:09 AM on March 24, 2006
These guys actually restore early sets...including mechanical tv's.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:09 AM on March 24, 2006
Hm. Don't think I've ever seen the word "Quite" used in that way. I guess it's ok grammatically, but is that weird sounding to anybody else?
posted by shanevsevil at 6:31 AM on March 24, 2006
posted by shanevsevil at 6:31 AM on March 24, 2006
speaking of preserving the past, Sparklemachine — has found a totally useless reuse of old TV and radio tubes as art. Of course the real tube lovers amongst us are shedding tears over this misappropriation of some (probably) still working tubes.
posted by Gungho at 6:32 AM on March 24, 2006
posted by Gungho at 6:32 AM on March 24, 2006
Hey! that was my first post with an actual working link. Yipee!
posted by Gungho at 6:32 AM on March 24, 2006
posted by Gungho at 6:32 AM on March 24, 2006
why some are pictured on the lawn is not clear. - Sure it is. He doesn't own good photo floodlights, so he took them outside to shoot. But Astro Zombie's answer is funnier.
posted by QuietDesperation at 8:08 AM on March 24, 2006
posted by QuietDesperation at 8:08 AM on March 24, 2006
Hm. Don't think I've ever seen the word "Quite" used in that way.
It works quite nicely as an alternative to "exactly" or "precisely" in a sentence like that.
posted by pracowity at 8:11 AM on March 24, 2006
It works quite nicely as an alternative to "exactly" or "precisely" in a sentence like that.
posted by pracowity at 8:11 AM on March 24, 2006
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posted by Astro Zombie at 11:19 PM on March 23, 2006