I have a copy of Spangenberg "Vacuum Tubes", First edition (1948). Must have been a reviewer's copy as it is full of annotations and questions to pose to the author.
Second is Markus "Handbook of Electronic Control Circuits", 1959.
Third, my beloved "Radio Amateur's Handbook", 1964.
Second is Markus "Handbook of Electronic Control Circuits", 1959.
Third, my beloved "Radio Amateur's Handbook", 1964.
Radio Engineers' Handbook, Terman 1943
Acoustic Measurements, Beranek 1949
Sound Reproduction, Briggs, G. A.
Wharfedale Wireless Works 1950
Loudspeakers; the Why and How of Good Reproduction, BRIGGS, G. A.
Wharfedale Wireless Works 1955
Electronic and Radio Engineering, Terman 1955
More in storage.
Acoustic Measurements, Beranek 1949
Sound Reproduction, Briggs, G. A.
Wharfedale Wireless Works 1950
Loudspeakers; the Why and How of Good Reproduction, BRIGGS, G. A.
Wharfedale Wireless Works 1955
Electronic and Radio Engineering, Terman 1955
More in storage.
I have the 1990 reprint of that book, to which I can add:
"Loudspeakers" by G.A. Briggs (Completely Revised and Enlarged Edition, October, 1958)
"More About Loudspeakers" by G.A. Briggs (First Edition, March 1963)
That's nothing. I still remember buying the Briggs book, in a used bookstore in Berkeley in the 70s.
It's worth pointing out, rayma, that Briggs' "A to Z in Audio" and "Amplifiers", as well as countless other old electronic books, are available to download here:
Electronics Books
The site assures us that the books "are no longer protected by copyright" and are "in the public domain" - so I hope linking to it is in order.
Electronics Books
The site assures us that the books "are no longer protected by copyright" and are "in the public domain" - so I hope linking to it is in order.
I have some of the U.S. Navy WWII basic electronic manuals for their training courses.
I have a hardback on vacuum tube voltmeters from about the same era, maybe a bit before the war.
The jewel is probably the first edition of the radar handbook by the MIT Radiation Laboratory, complete with the paper sleeve, that I got for $5 USD at a junk store / bookshop across the street from a podunk courthouse that I rarely have reason to attend. It's stunning how well they understood the principles and how much they could achieve with a bunch of 6SN7's.
I have a hardback on vacuum tube voltmeters from about the same era, maybe a bit before the war.
The jewel is probably the first edition of the radar handbook by the MIT Radiation Laboratory, complete with the paper sleeve, that I got for $5 USD at a junk store / bookshop across the street from a podunk courthouse that I rarely have reason to attend. It's stunning how well they understood the principles and how much they could achieve with a bunch of 6SN7's.
Somewhere in a box near me is a stack of engineering books I picked up in an antique store on Sanibel Island in Florida at least 10 years ago. I had wandered through that store several times over the years, and once spotted the old books. The store owner wanted $20 each, so I left. Several trips later he asked me if I wanted all of the books for $20. I bought them. It seems that I was the only person who ever took one off the shelf in several years.
There was a third edition Radiotron Designers Handbook (1945) which is not still in a box. The others are all still boxed up since I left Florida 7 years ago. The real oldies date from the 1920's, including an electronics engineering textbook from MIT. It is full of advanced math, so it didn't see much use.
I also got an old radio from the same store. It is an RCA superhet design (one of the first) from 1929 - 1931. I have not found an exact match to it online, so I'm not sure of the exact date. I did however make it work by swapping out some dead caps.
There was a third edition Radiotron Designers Handbook (1945) which is not still in a box. The others are all still boxed up since I left Florida 7 years ago. The real oldies date from the 1920's, including an electronics engineering textbook from MIT. It is full of advanced math, so it didn't see much use.
I also got an old radio from the same store. It is an RCA superhet design (one of the first) from 1929 - 1931. I have not found an exact match to it online, so I'm not sure of the exact date. I did however make it work by swapping out some dead caps.
Not sure what the oldest I have is, but a quick look found Absolute Measurements in Electricity and Magnetism by Andrew Gray, second edition, 1889. Gray was professor of physics in the University College of North Wales. I believe the book was published in London by Macmillan and Co., but it could also have been New York. Surprisingly advanced, it has some nice illustrations of Thompson current balances of the time, plus a few other instruments. Never underestimate how much they knew prior to 1900! Still available used from the usual suspects.
I also have a copy of "Vacuum Tubes" by Karl Spangenberg - 1948 Along with:
"High Fidelity Techniques" by John Newitt - 1953
"Active Networks" by Vincent Rideout - 1954
Several "Radio Amature's Handbooks" - 1944, 49, 63 & 78
"Audio Cyclopedia" by Howard Tremaine - 1969
About 18 different volumes of the "MIT Radiation Laboratory Series" including "Vacuum Tubes" & "Pulse Techniques"
A three volume set of Richard Feynman's "Lectures on Physics" 1963, 64 & 65.
Plus an easy 200+ collection of other textbooks, handbooks, parts catalogs, etc.
Edit: Also several copies of 'Audio Engineering" from 1947, 48, 49 etc.
"High Fidelity Techniques" by John Newitt - 1953
"Active Networks" by Vincent Rideout - 1954
Several "Radio Amature's Handbooks" - 1944, 49, 63 & 78
"Audio Cyclopedia" by Howard Tremaine - 1969
About 18 different volumes of the "MIT Radiation Laboratory Series" including "Vacuum Tubes" & "Pulse Techniques"
A three volume set of Richard Feynman's "Lectures on Physics" 1963, 64 & 65.
Plus an easy 200+ collection of other textbooks, handbooks, parts catalogs, etc.
Edit: Also several copies of 'Audio Engineering" from 1947, 48, 49 etc.
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A few books older than those.
One notable more for provenance than content is Marcus' Handbook, 1948; my copy came from Oak Ridge Labs.
I really dig Motion Picture Sound Engineering, 1938. Among other things, this is most of how to build a loudspeaker bigger than a home radio. I think you can now download a PDF from Oscars.org, but mine is paper. Near it is a reprint of Hunt. Also Self, Philips, and a funky engine textbook.
I have dead-tree of Pullen's Conductance.... Really another way to think. tubebooks.org has the PDF. Yes, several NatSemi databooks, one much older than this.
The treasure is a 19th century(!) reprint of The Theory of Sound by John William Strutt Rayleigh, in leather with marbled endpapers. No picture because it is in dark storage, ripening. You can find the Dover and other reprints everywhere, and I'm sure it has been PDFed. That guy knew more before electronics than we do know.
One notable more for provenance than content is Marcus' Handbook, 1948; my copy came from Oak Ridge Labs.
I really dig Motion Picture Sound Engineering, 1938. Among other things, this is most of how to build a loudspeaker bigger than a home radio. I think you can now download a PDF from Oscars.org, but mine is paper. Near it is a reprint of Hunt. Also Self, Philips, and a funky engine textbook.
I have dead-tree of Pullen's Conductance.... Really another way to think. tubebooks.org has the PDF. Yes, several NatSemi databooks, one much older than this.
The treasure is a 19th century(!) reprint of The Theory of Sound by John William Strutt Rayleigh, in leather with marbled endpapers. No picture because it is in dark storage, ripening. You can find the Dover and other reprints everywhere, and I'm sure it has been PDFed. That guy knew more before electronics than we do know.
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Ah-- not so old but apparently quite rare: Transistors I from RCA 1956. A lot of papers on early production transistor theory and practice. It has words from Lin but not "the" Lin paper. I'm not sure it is truly rare or just the title is unsearchable. WorldRadioHistory has a PDF: https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Technology/Transistors-I-RCA-Laboratories-1956.pdf (I don't think there was a Transistors II.)
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Photocells and their Applications, Zworkykin and Wilson, was first released in 1930 but my copy is a 2nd edition 7th printing 1947, apparently the 1932 text printed post-war. Does not know about PbS photoresistors.
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Photocells and Their Application. by ZWORYKIN, V.K. and E.D. Wilson.: Hardcover (1930)
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Photocells and Their Application. by ZWORYKIN, V.K. and E.D. Wilson.: Hardcover (1930)
"Things a Boy Can Do with Electricity" - my grammar school had that, or some other Alfred Morgan book. I remember checking it out and looking at it; I guarantee I didnt understand a damn at the time; being in 3rd, 4th or 5th grade.
I never saw that book, but I did get a genuine Ford Model T spark coil from my grandfather at a young age. That wooden box, a 6 volt lantern battery and some thin wire taken from an OPT primary out of an old tube radio made for some shocking moments for some unsuspecting people in my youth.
The original Ford Model T had a 4 cylinder engine. The distributor was on the primary side of the 4 ignition coils, each of which had its own set of breaker points built in. Applying 6 volts to the primary causes a continuous arc in whatever (or whoever) was connected to the secondary. The Model A would get a conventional ignition system that lived on virtually unchanged until the late 60's / early 70's when it got "transistorized."
The original Ford Model T had a 4 cylinder engine. The distributor was on the primary side of the 4 ignition coils, each of which had its own set of breaker points built in. Applying 6 volts to the primary causes a continuous arc in whatever (or whoever) was connected to the secondary. The Model A would get a conventional ignition system that lived on virtually unchanged until the late 60's / early 70's when it got "transistorized."
Electrical Engineering, Berg & Upson and Electrical Engineering Advanced Course, Berg both first edition c1916 from my grandfathers library, probably texts for classes he took in college. Many more he used or considered for EE classes he taught with penciled comments and corrections throughout.
Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers, A E Knowlton. editor in chief 9th edition 2230 pages, (first edition was Dec 1907 ). From his library
Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers, A E Knowlton. editor in chief 9th edition 2230 pages, (first edition was Dec 1907 ). From his library