This is nice....an early set up. Early AR label question?

[Andy]

Ebay number 9706244740. Tom, you may have some insight into this? If you look at photos of thhe AR-1W labels...the one with serial number 1274 is an early AR label(ink stamped model number), also used on the AR-1. The other speaker has the later style label with the large print '1W', but it has a lower serial number of 0751 ? As far as I know, the labels with this large printed model number was used on all AR 2, 2a,2x,2ax, 3,3a,4,4x. There always seem to be more to learn about early AR!

[Andy]

My mistake, second serial # is 7517 not 751. I think the new label came in in 1957-58 ?

[Andy]

$860. seems low for such an early complete set up with literature included. Must be that the serial numbers are too far apart for the serious collector.

[tysontom]

>Ebay number 9706244740. Tom, you may have some insight into

>this? If you look at photos of thhe AR-1W labels...the one

>with serial number 1274 is an early AR label(ink stamped model

>number), also used on the AR-1. The other speaker has the

>later style label with the large print '1W', but it has a

>lower serial number of 0751 ? As far as I know, the labels

>with this large printed model number was used on all AR 2,

>2a,2x,2ax, 3,3a,4,4x. There always seem to be more to learn

>about early AR!

Andy,

The earlier AR-1W (shown in the eBay listing number) was was made at the original plant at 25 Mount Auburn Street, which was originally "Kloss Industries." Manufacturing of the first AR speakers began in this small loft made available by Henry Kloss in the early summer of 1954. AR was incorporated in August, 1954, and the first AR speakers were made there before the company moved to 24 Thorndike street, which I believe was about a year later. Most of the hand-built speakers, and hand-drawn or "stamped" labels were evident during that period, but AR-1s were not shipped to customers before March, 1955.

The later-version AR-1W printed label was indicative of late 1950s (probably 1958 or 1959 perhaps) production work, and was similar to labels used on subsequent AR-2s, AR-3s, AR-3as and so forth. The classic AR logo lettering, incidentally, was based on the ancient-Roman lettering known as Trajan style, and was considered the highest form of Roman lettering.

--Tom Tyson

[Andy]

Tom,

That confirms what I suspected, only AR-1 and 1W's had this early label(I've never seen a 2,2a or 3 with the early label). Interesringly, my AR-1W with serial number 3900 has the early label accept the street address is 24 Thorndike Street, and this makes sense if they moved in about 1956. I'm quit sure my speaker dates to 1957, with the new labels being introduced for the entire product line in 1958. I didn't know that the AR logo was the Roman Trojan type lettering.

I do have a question, my Baruch-Lang loudspeaker made by Kloss Industies has a street address of 10 Arrow Street, Cambridge. I always assumed this was Henry's loft, he moved to 25 Mount Auburn St. before he started with AR ?

[tysontom]

I didn't know that the AR logo was the Roman Trojan type lettering.

>I do have a question, my Baruch-Lang loudspeaker made by

>Kloss Industies has a street address of 10 Arrow Street,

>Cambridge. I always assumed this was Henry's loft, he moved

>to 25 Mount Auburn St. before he started with AR ?

The style was called "Trajan," a Roman lettering style that was originally found on Roman Emperor Trajan's column, built after Trajan's victory over the Dacians. The actual design of the lettering was thought to have originated in Greece, but this form of Roman lettering was considered one of the highest forms of the art. The "AR" lettering is a form of that lettering done by an early artist at AR. An example of early Trajan lettering:

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1262.jpg

As for Henry's loft, the 10 Arrow Street location must have been an address that preceded the Mount Auburn address, but I am not sure. I have seen reference to that early address before, but the Mt. Auburn St. address was the location for the first ARs and was the location just before moving to the famous old building at 24 Thorndike Street in Cambridge (see my poor-quality image below).

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1264.jpg

--Tom Tyson

[Andy]

Tom, thanks for the information and photo's....very interesting-