KB 299 "Kitten"

[pwdrive]

Ref. post #10, British Radiophone receiver:

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/britishrad_...t_two.html

Lawrence.

[Crackle]

Hi Lawrence
Well done, that has dispelled the myth around KB also making radios for Black Cat, or that the radio in the black Cat advert is the missing "Kitten"

Thanks very much
Mike

[pwdrive]

I put this on UKVRR the other day, Mike's already seen it, I'm putting it here as well so everything is under one roof so to speak, the reference to Black Cat & KB is at the bottom of magazine page 9:

http://www.bvws.org.uk/publications/bull...n_13_1.pdf

The way it comes across to me at the moment is that Black Cat cigs had two makes of radio suppliers, Kolster Brandes and British Radiophone, the latter was part of Plessey so far as I can make out? Would there be any connection between Plessey and Kolster Brandes?

Lawrence.

[Crackle]

With out the use of the internet 50 years ago it would be very easy to succumb to gossip and Chinese whispers about a radio which was given away with Cigarette coupons.
One person could be talking about a radio given away with Black Cat cigarettes and another person may be talking about a radio given away with BDV cigarette coupons.
Meanwhile a 3rd person could easily think that they are the same radio.
For a long time there was a misconception that the KB masterpiece was the almost mythical "Kitten" and in fact it was given away with "Black Cat" coupons. Both these beliefs seem reasonable on the surface but are probably not true, or are they. There is even a credited museum which seems to be perpetuating the above myth. See http://www.museumoftechnology.org.uk/expand.php?key=832
I have contacted the above museum today to inform them of the error.
So you can see how easy it is to confuse the facts.

We know the KB 2 Valve Masterpiece radio was given away with DBV cigarettes from the advertising material which still exists. (scroll down to see the last photo) We also know there was a second, later KB 3 Valve Masterpiece also given away with BDV coupons. (see photo on Radio Museum)
I wonder if there is any documented evidence that the 3 valve Masterpiece was in fact made by KB, it does not seem to be marked with the KB logo like the 2 valve Masterpiece.

KB issued a letter, dated 9/12/1930, to all its authorised dealers confirming that KB WILL NOT accept any more “contracts” for radios in exchange for coupons. I believe this was as a result of pressure from the Authorised Dealers, and meant that the KB radios for coupons campaigns were most probably finished some time in 1931.
But what happened to all those smokers who were still collecting their coupons?
It therefore seemed unlikely that KB would start another campaign with Black Cat coupons.
It was reported that in 1931 KB were making “PUP 2 valve” radios at a rate of 2000 per day.  I think that would be difficult if they were still involved with manufacturing the “Masterpiece” radios for giving away with coupons, as well as the other KB radio models of the time.

We now have more evidence of the Black Cat campaign with the references just found by Lawrence.
I don’t know of any connection between Black Cat and BDV and neither am I aware of any connection between the manufacturers Kolster Brandes and Radiophone.

I believe the article in the BVWS Vol.13 no.1may have some facts confused.

So please let me say. Will the real KB Kitten please stand up.

Mike

p.s.
Just to let you know I have also contacted Godfrey Phillips (India) and British American Tobacco to see if they have any history that can help

[pwdrive]

I also came across that Museum of Technology error.

I think primary sources is the only sure fire way, I spent years doing genealogical research for the family, in some cases you can't even depend on the census records with certainty because they are not a primary source, what survived as a secondary source was all I had to go on...many false trails.

I'll keep looking for the KB.

Lawrence.

[pwdrive]

Pup cabinets...2/6d each (page bottom):

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/...=%22pup%22

Lawrence.

[Crackle]

It looks like the end of production of the KB Kobra and Pup sets was sometime before September 1933, according to the advert in WW.
However it is possible that stocks of completed radios may have been still available, they were still listed in a 1932 price list.


Thanks
Mike