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RCA product information

Creation: 1904-1994
 Collection
Accession: 2464-77
View selected items online in the Hagley Digital Archives.
View selected items online in the Hagley Digital Archives.

Abstract

The Radio Corporation of America (renamed RCA Corporation in 1969) was best known for its pioneering radio and television development and manufacturing. In addition to consumer electronics, RCA was a major player in the development of electronics for industrial and military applications. The collection contains extensive documentation of RCA’s consumer and industrial products and components. Files include manuals, technical data, advertisements, technical bulletins, catalogs, and training materials.

Dates

  • Creation: 1904-1994

Creator

Extent

22 Linear Feet

Historical Note

The Radio Corporation of America (renamed RCA Corporation in 1969) was best known for its pioneering radio and television development and manufacturing. In addition to consumer electronics, RCA was a major player in the development of electronics for industrial and military applications. It was also prominent in radio and television broadcasting, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, NBC. Originally created in 1919 as a government sponsored radio monopoly, RCA operated until 1986, when it was acquired by GE and broken up.

For more information, see the historical note for accession 2069, RCA Corporation records: http://findingaids.hagley.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/2069.xml

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three series:

I. Numbered files

II. Service data

III. General

Files are arranged alphabetically.

Scope and Content

This collection contains extensive documentation of RCA’s consumer and industrial products, such as radios, televisions, microscopes, record and video players, test equipment, and phonograph records; and RCA’s components, such as transistors, semiconductors, integrated circuits, computer processors, and tubes. Files include manuals, technical data, advertisements, technical bulletins, catalogs, and training materials.

Numbered files series contains items that RCA assigned unique identifiers to. Most of the item designators had no inherent meaning. However, a few important ones did, notably IB (instruction book), AN (application note), and ICAN (integrated circuits application note). Worth highlighting is SPD-100, an extensive collection of technical data on components which is supplemented by the SSD series of databooks.

Service data series or RCA published service data (originally called service notes) in order to provide technical information to companies and individuals who serviced RCA consumer products. In addition to technical specifications and diagrams, the data included installation, maintenance, and operating instructions, as well as parts listings and other important information.

The service data primarily, but not exclusively, covers televisions, radios, and phonograph players. It is a particularly valuable resource for collectors of antique consumer electronics.

Existence and Location of Copies

View selected items online in the Hagley Digital Archives.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.

Related Material

RCA product information is part of the David Sarnoff Library collection (Accession 2464). The collection includes nineteen other finding aids:

Consumer electronics history collection (Accession 2464.79), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

David Sarnoff Library records (Accession 2464.73), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

David Sarnoff Research Center records (Accession 2464.09), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Charles B. Jennings photographs, scrapbook boards, and other materials (Accession 2464.21), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Alexander Magoun advertising collection (Accession 2464.81), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America engineering drawings (Accession 2464.83), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Astro-Electronics Division records (Accession 2464.70), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Camden records (Accession 2464.76), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Corporation collection of television and company history photographs and audiovisual material (Accession 2464.78), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Harrison records (Accession 2464.71), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Missile and Surface Radar Division photographs (Accession 2464.31), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA News and Information Department photographs (Accession 2464.68), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA publications (Accession 2464.82), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Solid State Division records (Accession 2464.75), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA technical reports (Accession 2464.69), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA/Thomson Lancaster records (Accession 2464.74), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Records of other RCA divisions (Accession 2464.80), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

David Sarnoff papers (Accession 2464.55), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Robert W. Sarnoff papers (Accession 2464.04), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Provenance

In 2009, along with the rest of the archival collections of the David Sarnoff Library, the RCA product information collection was donated to the Hagley Museum and Library.

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
RCA product information
Author:
Daniel Michelson
Date:
2016
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin
Sponsor:
The collection was processed with support from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant.

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400