An advertisement from The New York Times about new radios – well, not-so-new radios! – from 1942, by the Stromberg-Carlson Company, listing radio retailers in the New York Metropolitan area, northern New Jersey, and Connecticut.
(Stromberg-Carlson w h o?)
The company was founded in 1904, and after being purchased by the Home Telephone Company in 1904, relocated from Chicago to Rochester, New York, where it became, “…a major manufacture of consumer electronics including home telephones, radio receivers and, after World War II, television sets.” Notably – at least in terms of this blog – the company produced the BC-348 communications receiver, which was used in WW II Army Air Force multi-engine transports and bombers….
The company was purchased by General Dynamics in 1955, and by 1980, sold by them in several components.
The acronym “OPA” refers to the Office of Price Administration, an agency of the Federal Government established in August of 1941, within the Office for Emergency Management. The OPA became an independent agency in January of 1942, and, “…had the power to place ceilings on all prices except agricultural commodities, and to ration scarce supplies of other items, including tires, automobiles, shoes, nylon, sugar, gasoline, fuel oil, coffee, meats and processed foods. At the peak, almost 90% of retail food prices were frozen. It could also authorize subsidies for production of some of those commodities.”
The full text of the ad (sans the list of dealers’ names for metropolitan New York, and Connecticut) follows:
______________________________
AN IMPORTANT
ANNOUNCEMENT
ABOUT NEW RADIOS
MANUFACTURE of new radios stopped April 22nd, 1942. Early completion of production brought about by 100% conversion to war orders has again made available a variety of our Radios and Radio-Phonographs.
If you are thinking of a new instrument to last you beyond the duration, we suggest you make your purchase soon. For when the current stock of new radios is gone, there will be no more until the war is won.
And you know that, for a long-term investment in good music at its best, you will find “There is nothing finer than a Stromberg-Carlson!”
Visit your nearest dealer listed below, where you will find most models on display, at OPA prices.
COMPLETE LINE ON DEMONSTRATION
Gross Distributors, Inc., 570 Lexington, Avenue, New York City
Representative for New York and New England
Write for free booklet “Facts about FM”
STROMBERG-CARLSON
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
A FINER RADIO FOR STANDARD PROGRAMS • THE ONLY RADIO FOR FM AT ITS BEST
TUNE IN WQXR MON, WED., FRI. 7:30 P.M. STROMBERG-CARLSON “TREASURY OF MUSIC”
______________________________
Well, since we’re talking FM, what better way to end this post, than with No Static At All?
References
Office of Price Administration (OPA), at Wikipedia
Stromberg-Carlson, at Wikipedia