Mystery Solved…First Pedestals Were Electric!

Mystery Solved #2

I had thought the old pedestals used with the Iconoscope cameras in the 30s and 40s were perhaps hydrolac, but…not anymore. Thanks to further research by our friend Paul Beck, we now know these peds had an electric motor to take them up and down. In reexamining my archives, I came across this photo that may actually show the foot switch that operates the motor. Take a close look at the bottom right of the pedestal. These cameras were more bulk than weight and a small electric motor could easily handle the load of 100 pounds or less.

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2 Comments

  1. Charlie Huntley January 13, 2013

    Yes
    The year was 1967, but the public station went on the sir in the early 50’s.
    we used TK-11&14’s .
    We worked for nothing
    We learned everything
    We Had That Passion!

  2. Charlie Huntley January 13, 2013

    The Peds I started out with at WUNC-Tv Chapel Hill, used a counterweight system.