AWA colour television
Object No. 2012/2/1
This AWA Deep Image 53 cm (22 inch) cathode ray tube colour television receiver is typical of the televisions in Australia from the early 1980s before the common use of remote control devices and video cassette recorders (VCRs) but after the introduction of colour television in Australia in 1975. It was made in 1982 in Australia for AWA-Thorn Consumer Products Pty Ltd of Rydalmere, New South Wales, part of the Australian firm Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) which had been established in Sydney in 1913. From when television was first introduced to Australia in 1956 AWA had been a major manufacturer of television receivers under the AWA Radiola Deep Image brand. This continued until the early 1970s when the Whitlam Government relaxed import tariffs. Increased competition saw AWA join with the British firm, Thorn Electrical Industries, in 1973 to form AWA-Thorn Consumer Products Pty Ltd in Australia. Thorn colour televisions modified for Australia were marketed as AWA or Thorn models, with local improvements being made to them over the years. By the late 1970s production for some of the firm's televisions and other audio visual equipment went off-shore to Japan and were produced by Mitsubhishi Electric. In 1984 Mitsubishi Electric purchased AWA-Thorn renaming it Mitsubishi Electric AWA Pty Ltd and marketed their VCRs, stereos and TVs in Australia. This AWA set was used continually as the only television in a Sydney household for almost 30 years. It replaced a second hand black and white set used by the owners and in turn was replaced by a flat screen digital television in 2011. (Digital television began in Australia in 2001). It is in original, as new, working condition and includes the instruction booklet, warranty, sales receipt, wiring diagram, notes on the service calls, and even the plastic advertising sticker peeled off the screen just after purchase in January 1983. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalgamated_Wireless_(Australasia) The Business Who's Who of Australia, 15th edn, Cranwell Publishing Co. Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand, [1981]. Information provided by Phillip Simpson, 2011
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Summary
Object Statement
'AWA Deep Image' television receiver and related ephemera, Model No. C5317, Serial No. 461543, metal / plastic / glass / paper, made by AWA-Thorn Consumer Products Pty Ltd, Rydalmere, New South Wales, Australia, 1982, used by the Simpson family, Roseville / Killara, New South Wales, Australia, 1983-2011
Physical Description
This acquisition comprises the colour television, instruction manual, schematic diagram, advertising material, sales receipt, 4-year warranty card, service receipt, original screen advertising sticker, a set of plastic channel indicator numbers and hand-written model comparison chart. This 53 cm (22 inch) colour television features a cathode ray tube, 100 degree deflection Deep Image picture tube with self-convergence system, precision in-line guns, vertical stripe screen with black surround, internal magnetic shield, soft push-button tuning, quick start, VHF/UHF tuner, automatic fine tuning, earphone sockets, tone control and hide-away minor controls all mounted in a free-standing lowboy finished in teak. Instruction manual "AWA Owner's instruction manual for your colour television receiver" a 6-page stapled booklet. Advertising brochure "AWA Deep Image colour television", fold-out in colour, featuring the various models of AWA colour and black and white televisions, and VCR recorders. Wiring diagram for AWA Thorn QM 100 degree 53 and 63 cm Varacator Models. Sales Receipt from Discount Inn Home of Electrical Appliances, 785 Pacific Highway, Gordon, NSW, dated 11 January 1983. Hand-written comparison of television models and prices prior to purchase in 1983. Fold-out 4-year warranty card A set of plastic channel numbers. Advertising sticker from the glass screen.
PRODUCTION
Notes
43cm and smaller sets were manufactured in Japan by Mitsubishi Electric, Tokyo, for the Australian market. 48cm and larger sets, such as this one were manufactured in the AWA-Thorn factory at 348 Victoria Rd, Rydalmere, NSW from 1974 until around 1990, with the exception of the early years when some were imported from England. According to the 1981 edition of Business Who's Who in Australia, AWA-Thorn were manufacturers and/or distributors of radio and television receivers, audio visual equipment, stereograms, record players, tape recorders, loud speakers, hi-fi equipment, vacuum cleaners and other domestic appliances. The factory was at Rydalmere and branches were located in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. The parent companies were Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd and Thorn Electrical Industries Pty Ltd. Amalgamated Wireless Australasia (AWA) was established in Sydney in 1913. According to their Wikipedia entry this firm was "Australia's largest and most prominent electronics organisation undertaking development, manufacture and distribution of radio, telecommunications, television and audio equipment throughout most of the 20th century". The firm last produced appliances from their Sydney manufacturing plant at Ashfield in 1979 and from the late 1970s appliances including televisions were made for AWA-Thorn by Mitsubishi Electric of Japan. This division of AWA was also the Australian distributor for many audio equipment manufacturers, including Tannoy, Revox, AKG Acoustics and Clarion car radios. In 1984, Mitsubishi Electric purchased AWA-Thorn and it became Mitsubishi Electric AWA Pty Ltd and marketed their VCRs, stereos and TVs in Australia retaining the AWA brand name. The firm gradually moved away from appliances and into power transmission equipment and optical fibre technology.
HISTORY
Notes
The change over to colour television occurred in Australia in 1975. However it was not until 1982 that the donor decided to purchase a colour receiver. After considerable research into various colour television models, towards the end of 1982 the donor narrowed his selection down to three National models and two AWA models, with and without a remote control. The AWA model without the remote was chosen. It was purchased new by the owner on 11 January 1983 for $637 from Discount Inn, 785 Pacific Highway, Gordon, on Sydney's North Shore. It was the donor's first colour television and replaced a second-hand black and white set. Over its almost 30-year use at family homes in Roseville then Killara it proved a very reliable television. A service call was made in September 1985 to replace one or two resistors. Then in May 1997 the picture colour changed to green. A television technician soldered loose wires on the back of the tube which rectified the problem for $79.00. He commented with remarkable foresight what long-lasting televisions the AWA models were. A VCR was later purchased to use with the television and connected through the aerial as the television did not have separate inputs. The remote with the VCR was then used to control a number of functions on the TV. In May 2011 the AWA-Thorn analogue television which was still in perfect operating condition was replaced by a Samsung digital HD flat screen television in order to access the extra free-to-air TV channels. By 2011 about 75% of Australian viewers had access to digital television.
SOURCE
Credit Line
Gift of Phillip Simpson, 2012
Acquisition Date
5 January 2012
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