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Question re: Speakers from W.T. Grant Co.-- the maker is?


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Hello-

I recently aquired these speakers at a thrift store. They appear to have the look of speakers from the late 50's to early 60's. Nice looking walnut speakers. Doing some net research, I found that the W.T. Grant Co. chain of stores existed up to 1972. They must have farmed these speakers out to a local company. There is a paper label on the back with the following: "W.T. Grant Co., Acoustic Air Suspension Loudspeaker System, Model 53363, #9105." The grill is fixed to not come off. They sound pretty good. Does anyone have any item who might have made these? Check the photos below...

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/Z...il/IMG_1153.jpg

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/Z...il/IMG_1149.jpg

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/Z...il/IMG_1146.jpg

Thanks,

Steve Z.

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  • 10 years later...
  • 2 months later...

What a name from the past!!

Cant help you with the speakers, but the Grant stores were the KMart variety/dept stores of their day, and similar to Woolworths. IIRC, Kresge's eventually became KMarts? regardless, "Grant" was big enough in the late 60's to have subbed out work to re-label as their own, and as many of us fondly recall; every decent size dept store had a stereo dept we could go hang out in!

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3 hours ago, nfafan said:

What a name from the past!!

Yeah--I bought my first LP there "Runaround Sue" by Dion in 1961, right after he left the Belmonts.

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I think they would have to be labeled "Made in Japan" if they were. There were a number of outfits making OEM stuff right here in the USA. Fisher speakers for example were made by an American speaker manufacturer.

You could pull the drivers and look for the manufacturer codes but that still wouldn't tell you who built the system.

Or just enjoy them ;)

Here's a guy looking to by a pair--maybe he knows something  http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=252000

Kent

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On 1/31/2018 at 6:51 AM, JKent said:

I think they would have to be labeled "Made in Japan" if they were. There were a number of outfits making OEM stuff right here in the USA. Fisher speakers for example were made by an American speaker manufacturer.

You could pull the drivers and look for the manufacturer codes but that still wouldn't tell you who built the system.

Or just enjoy them ;)

Here's a guy looking to by a pair--maybe he knows something  http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=252000

Kent

Hi Kent,

I concur, 100%

Still doesn't change the fact that they look an awfully lot like Coral

As far as Fisher speakers go, not for long as well as model era dependent (Avery, Sanyo etc etc)  

Regardless, why would you say that they would "have to" be labelled "Made in Japan"?

Craig

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The first Fisher speakers were made for Avery Fisher by United Speaker Systems here in East Orange NJ. Later the company was sold to Emerson, then Sanyo, then ???

I'm quite sure any product imported to the US has to show the country of manufacture. Hence they would "have to" be labeled "Made in Japan."

Kent

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On 2/1/2018 at 9:57 AM, JKent said:

The first Fisher speakers were made for Avery Fisher by United Speaker Systems here in East Orange NJ. Later the company was sold to Emerson, then Sanyo, then ???

I'm quite sure any product imported to the US has to show the country of manufacture. Hence they would "have to" be labeled "Made in Japan."

Kent

Correct

Speakers have always been a subcontracted item to fill out the Fisher market presence, even after it wasn't Fisher anymore (in name only)

All I said about the original inquiry was that they look like something Coral would make and they do

I've got more than  a few pieces, speakers and electronics, where the label as to "made in" occurs inside the box, not out

Don't know if there was ever a legal requirement to indicate such information on the outside of goods or not

Interesting point though

Craig

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/15/2018 at 11:30 AM, genek said:

Country of origin labeling is required for most products imported into the US. Speakers don't fit into any of the exempt categories. The lack of country on the speaker label tells us that these were made in the US.

That is not true, at least most definitely not in all instances and classes of goods - broad brush statement based on nothing factual or objective - purely an anecdotal observation 

These rules and regs have also change greatly over the past 50-60 years as well - and are changing still

And even if it were, I defy you, or anyone else to show me legislation , or "law" which states that the country of origin, or manufacture, HAS to be visible from the OUTSIDE of the product (POSSIBLE exception - food and drink goods, possibly drugs and agricultural products and finished textiles (clothing)

(for what it's worth, I live in a house full of attorneys)

As I already wrote, I OWN a number of electronics and speakers that ARE "Made in Japan" but to ascertain that fact requires that one OPENS the box, where yes, and I agree with you 100%, things are profusely marked as such

Also, if you read the applicable codes rules and regulations, stating country of origin on the BOX or packaging will satisfy the majority of the import tariff and rules regarding manufactured goods - meaning that yes, they have to mark it (or at least they are supposed to) but it they did it/do it only on the shipping container then they are in compliance

AND, as I have already said, I am NOT trying to start an argument - I simply stated a FACT (or an opinion if you rather) - those speakers in the original post LOOK like something Coral would have made, and they DO

But I DID NOT say that they were - because I do not know unequivocally who did actually make that particular pair of loudspeakers

I did not intend for my comment/impression/opinion to be turned into such a big deal

No disrespect was intended

Craig

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Smoot Hawley Tariff Act, 1930

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/19/1304

This link will be to the current requirements. If you search the code number, the original 1930 act is also online. If I read it correctly, it started out as mostly applying to agricultural products and was expanded to cover all imports following WWII. NAFTA and other trade agreements voided many of the tariffs, but the labeling requirements have never been removed.

If these speakers had been unlabeled, they might have been part of a packaged set and not covered as individual components (imported products that become parts of other products do not have to be labeled), but the fact that they have labels means they were not exempted.

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On 2/21/2018 at 11:00 AM, genek said:

Smoot Hawley Tariff Act, 1930

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/19/1304

This link will be to the current requirements. If you search the code number, the original 1930 act is also online. If I read it correctly, it started out as mostly applying to agricultural products and was expanded to cover all imports following WWII. NAFTA and other trade agreements voided many of the tariffs, but the labeling requirements have never been removed.

If these speakers had been unlabeled, they might have been part of a packaged set and not covered as individual components (imported products that become parts of other products do not have to be labeled), but the fact that they have labels means they were not exempted.

No disrespect, but you've got the "I'm right you're wrong" "last word syndrome" REALLY BAD

And as an aside, I am intimately familiar with Smoot Hawley - to put it briefly "labeling" in a strictly LEGAL sense doesn't necessarily translate to a paper label or some big ass stencil or sticker on a good as we've all come to associate with everyday household  consumer goods like CD players and TeeVees (or in this case, loudspeakers)

There is/was/and always will be different and various regulatory codes and requirements and INTERPRETATIONS as for ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS in many instances which are ADMINISTRATION SPECIFIC i.e.: who's President at the time and who's Congress is currently pissed off with as to meeting the REQUISITE EXECUTIONS of the labeling requirements as well as how demanding and punitive in nature financially they may (or may not) be

Also, as mentioned, I reside in a house full of attorneys (you can feel for me on that one) - so don't practice it (LAW) or quote snippets of it from wikipedia unless you also are one, OR, UNLESS you are ACTUALLY AND FULLY versed in that aspect and specialty area of the LAW and know what it is that you are reading, MEANS AND IMPLIES, (my best advice)  Same as folks practicing medicine off of webmd - not a recommended practice! (no pun intended)

In other words, don't quote cursory crap found on-line because you feel comfortable that it is somehow "proving" YOUR point of view or opinion - too much of that going on today in all spheres

There's pattern starting here so I will ask you politely to please go Moderate/Administer/or Whatever someplace else except after every post I make that you don't like or agree with

(or at least it feels like it) I'm well into my 60s and I don't need a shadow, if you can appreciate what I am saying

Respectfully and thank you

Craig

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