Re: [ARSCLIST] Crosley Radio

[John Bondurant <John_Bondurant@xxxxxxxxx>]

I first noticed these "Crosley" branded systems last fall at a Target 
store in Louisville, KY. Later I found out that our library had 
purchased a couple of the CR73 models at the local Wal-Mart for 
inexpensive listening stations. They are pretty much what you'd expect 
for a $99 phono/radio/cd/cassette entertainment center made in Asia. 
Not the worst thing in the world, but you can do better for not much 
more.

What is interesting to me is that the "Crosley Radio" (i.e. Modern 
Marketing Concepts, Inc.) corporate office is in Louisville, KY. Given 
that Crosley was a Cincinnati-based empire there may be a 'slim' chance 
that this is a descendant, but I doubt it.
The whole Powel and Lewis Crosley saga is pretty amazing, from radios 
and automobiles to broadcasting (WLW), WWII, and the World-Series. I've 
just received a new book, ("Crosley: two brothers and a business empire 
that transformed the nation" / Rusty McClure, D.A. Stern, Michael A. 
Banks / ISBN 1578602912; 9781578602919) but have not started reading it 
yet.

Berea College has some WLW transcription disks from the late 1930's 
through the early 50's as part of our John Lair Collection (of Renfro 
Valley fame.)

John H. Bondurant
Sound Preservation Archivist
Hutchins Library, Special Collections & Archives
Berea College
CPO LIB
Berea, KY 40404

john_bondurant@xxxxxxxxx
Office: 859-985-3389
Fax: 859-985-3912


On Apr 20, 2007, at 12:00 AM, ARSCLIST automatic digest system wrote:

> From: "Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: April 19, 2007 11:01:19 PM EST
> Subject: Re: Crosley Radio
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ryan Jurison" <du_box@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > I was looking around at some audio systems, today, hoping to find a 
> > new one
> > for my home, when I ran across the rather attractive Crosley Radio,
> > vintage-themed entertainment systems. I was wondering if anyone owns 
> > one of
> > these, or has any firsthand experience with them, and if you would be
> > willing to share your thoughts on them.
> The important thing is that they finally decided to offer properly-
> sized 78 needles to match their turntable speed! Sadly, these are
> NOT diamond...and anything less than a diamond wears out quickly
> from playing abrasive shellac-compound discs.
>
> Crosley, of course, is a famous old name in home radio (as well as
> early "compact cars" before ecology had even been thought of...!)
> but whether this "Crosley" is a descendant firm, or simply some
> company over in the land of Hooflungdung that managed to scoop
> up the trademarks and "goodwill" for about 17 kabongs...
>
> Steven C. Barr