a 1955 ad for the Delta Stereo by Lennor in Chicago.
Toronto. A recent post, “catch the wave“, spoke of Kodak’s technique to ‘monetize’ the latest popularity of stereo in the 1950s. A brief (very brief) competitor emerged in 1955 – the Delta Stereo by Lennor Engineering Co in Illinois.
The company’s product line targeted the same population as Kodak. However, instead of promoting the line, this ad in the October, 1955 issue of Popular Mechanics addresses wanna-be salesmen and distributors. Sadly, the call seems to have fallen on deaf ears. McKeowns lists the Delta Stereo in its 11th edition as a 1955 offering and suggested the price in 2001 was about the original 1955 value – more if the viewer was included.
Like Kodak, Lennor touted (colour) stereo as the ‘newest craze’. Lennor omits any mention of the earlier rise in the stereo fad, stereo’s history before and after photography was announced (1839), or even details of its products. Instead Lennor focusses on its ‘powerful new kind of selling program’ and encourages replies from the marketing side of the line.
Thank you to good friend and fellow history buff, George Dunbar, for finding and sharing this moment in photographic history.
