Reel-to-Reel Tape Recorder
date: label: date made
content: ca 1948
name: label: maker
content: Brush Development Company
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This reel-to-reel BK-401 “Soundmirror” used paper recording tape coated with artificial magnetite particles. Brush Company designed the BK-401 after Semi Begun’s experiments convinced him that a thin, flexible tape would give good audio performance. Introduced in 1947 with tape made by Shellmar Company, the expensive BK-401 malfunctioned easily. Despite good initial sales, production ceased in 1952.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Before leaving Nazi Germany in 1935, Begun had heard of Fritz Pfleumer’s work on printing cigarette paper with a gold-colored band. Pfleumer also made paper tape coated with magnetizable materials and fabricated a demonstration tape recorder in 1931.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Ohio, Cleveland
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
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content: Magnetic Recording
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content: Communications
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from Maurice Musler
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: EM.336308
label: catalog number
content: 336308
label: accession number
content: 1977.0895
label: model number
content: BK-401
label: serial number
content: 6677
label: model number
content: BA-106
objectType: label: Object Name
content: recording device
label: Object Name
content: tape recorder
label: Other Terms
content: tape recorder; Audio Devices
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: recorder closed: 12 in x 18 in x 14 in; 30.48 cm x 45.72 cm x 35.56 cm
label: Measurements
content: microphone: 22 cm x 13 cm; 8 21/32 in x 5 1/8 in