A Rose By Many Names…Norelco, Philips, Pye, Peto Scott

In this very good video, notice that the Norelco PC70 has a Pye logo on the side instead of a Norelco (as we knew the brand in the US), or Phillips logo (as the camera was branded in the rest of the world). You may have also seen these cameras with a Peto Scott logo. Here is the story of the branding…

(A) Norelco: In a nut shell, Philco, in a 1940s court ruling forced Phillips to use another name for their products in the US. That brand name became Norelco and was cobbled from Phillips North American Electronics Company. Over 95% of all the Norelco cameras in the US were made at Mt. Vernon NY.

(B) Phillips: This is the parent company in the Netherlands. Their Plumbicon color cameras in the US were Norelco PC (for Plumbicon Color) models, while in the rest of the world, they were LDK models…our Norelco PC60 was their LDK 1. Our PC70 was their LDK 2, etc. I think LDK comes from the Dutch term for the Lead Oxide Camera…in Europe, Plumbicons are often referred to as ‘lead oxide valves’ (valves = tubes).

(C) Pye: In 1966, Phillips tried to buy Pye but was allowed only 60% ownership under anti monopoly rules in the UK. Demand for their plumbicon cameras was so great, and the Dutch plant so overwhelmed that many Phillips LDK cameras were made at their Pye plant in England under the Pye and Phillips name.

(D) Petto Scott: Needing even more production capacity, Phillips/Pye took over the small UK based camera maker, Peto Scott around 1968. Most of their camera output was Phillips branded, but in a few regions in the UK, they were allowed to brand the cameras as Peto Scott for marketing and anti trust reasons.

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