Post by Steve on Jun 5, 2020 15:41:16 GMT 12
So I always figured that things like the Cromwell and Gulbransen 'Little Jewel' fridge, which is a copy of the Westinghouse USA Little Jewel, and the Pacemaker Leader portable, which is a copy of the Zenith 4G903 (and was also available as a Technico model in Australia - was that a rebadged Zenith or a rebadged Pacemaker?), were licenced copies of the originals... but I read something in a Wellington Vintage Radio newsletter recently which made me wonder, as the author (whos name escapes me as I write this) suggested that C&B blatantly copied these designs and did not licence them at all.
Does anyone know, or does anyone know anyone who worked at C&B and could possibly set this straight? The case parts for the Pacemaker that I have, have C&B markings, so even if they were originally Zenith molds they had been altered. I don't know about the Technico ones.
I know plagiarism seems to have been rife in the radio industry here, but this seems like something that surely would not have gone un-noticed by that most litigious of all nations, even back then... The Little Jewel might have been a sales flop here in NZ (according to the same article I read) but the Pacemaker seemed pretty popular over at least 5 or 6 years it was available?
If anyone would prefer to comment 'off the record' you're welcome to PM me or email me through the vintageradio.co.nz site...
Cheers, Steve