JFK's Fisher stereo installation at The White House: Do we know the components?

Welcome Back RED! Hopefully this will bring more posts in the future.
 
Welcome Back RED! Hopefully this will bring more posts in the future.
Thanks, Larry. I still drop by now and again to see what turns up. Still interested in the history and those elusive models known only from crumbled, yellowing price lists and grainy, old, black and white photos. Waiting on those photos from Mass. - doesn't look encouraging, though.
 
Once I got the chance to sort through all of the many hundreds of pages of Fisher documents I was kindly allowed to copy, I did come across one reference to the Kennedy Fishers. It was in the text of a speech given by Mr. Fisher at a Fisher Europa press conference on April 2, 1987. The speech is an interwoven personal and corporate history and contains the following statement:

"When President Kennedy wanted hi-fi equipment for his private rooms at the White House, Fisher equipment was chosen and installed. In addition to that, we designed two completely self-contained hi-fi systems fitted into aluminum cases that traveled with the President on Air Force 1, wherever he went in the world. They were multi-voltage and were routinely set up in his living quarters, on arrival."

I share Larry's skepticism regarding the reputed 'Evelyn Lincoln' Allegro. The photo from Hyannis Port is very interesting, though. Further research is definitely warranted.

Thanks. Great info TheRed1. FYI - I found the Hyannis Port console photo on page 203 of the book Portrait of Camelot by Richard Reeves.

You could also reach out to Steve Hoffman about the Fisher installation at The White House. He got the info straight from Avery. http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...white-house-do-we-know-the-components.669046/
 
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What console is this? and is this in the White House?
 
The turntable plinth is all wrong for a Fisher as are the doors. Could be a Magnavox, Westinghouse, RCA, or any of a dozen other manufacturers. Jackie is way too young in this picture for the White House. Looks like about mid 50's before Caroline. The pixie haircut was let out after birth of Caroline, and her waist is too small. This is pre 1957.
 
Probably the Georgetown brownstone during the Senator years...

It would be interesting if Caroline would remember or maybe even still have any audio equipment from her parents. When Jackie moved out of the White House, did she keep and use any of it? Might Avery and Jackie maintained contact?

Oddly, I don't ever recall seeing Joe or JFK listed on the famous people who own Fishers that the company published then...
 
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To what extent was the Tuner/Preamp and Amp in the 1962 Ambassador a reconfigured Fisher 800B? I'm seeing two separate tuner controls for FM and AM and the output tubes are 7591. Iron also looks robust. How many watts per channel RMS could the amp the 62 Ambassador deliver?

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I don't think the 470-T/690-A chassis were substantially similar or reconfigured from the 800b. Many of the circuits in both are similar but not identical. Tuner's in consoles have less gang's than a comparable receiver or tuner. So they tend to be less sensitive and less selective. But with good outside antenna's they work very well.

The 800B was used enbloc in the '62 Executive. MPX was a $50. option that could be a option delete as was the mpx was in the Ambassador. As the Executive was a higher level unit in the model lineup than the Ambassador you didn't want competing units in 2 different levels of the lineup. The Chatham between them had a slightly better tuner than the Ambassador but the 800B was a better tuner than the 480-T in the Chatham. The Chatham and Ambassador both used the 680-A amplifier. The next higher amp was the 7591 Fixed bias amplifier in the 800b.


The 470-T and 680-A combo would be two steps down from the 800b in complexity and parts used. Some Circuits are similar, but more rudimentary. Consoles were still a viable option and wive's usually had final say in married households. They were looking at these as a large piece of furniture, not as a stereo. Suggest you read the STICKY's Consoles from 1945 to 1958 and 1959 to 1965. These should answer a lot of your questions. Also the "COMPENDIUM of FISHER Consoles" will also add some info
 
And then this pops up at Auction this week.

Fisher has this model in catalog as a 1964. The Auction house wants to decipher the label on the back that it was purchased in 1962. But if you look at the label, it has 2 errors on it, "Fischer" and the "serial number" are wrong for this piece.

What else is suspect here?

Oh I'm sure its from Mrs. Kennedy's personal secretary's estate, and it seems it was delivered from the White House to the estate in 1964... but did this piece really exist in the White House in 1962 as the Auction House is saying? It would be Groovy is so...

https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/kennedy-white-house-fisher-cherry-entertainment_ACC46B09B7
 
The rectangular ID tag looks like an inventory tag used for White House items, if it was real.

I'm suprised the larger Fisher ID sticker photo wasn't taken in close-up. To me, it's just as significant as the smaller tag.

"Included with the console is the delivery receipt from the White House on March 18, 1964, to the Alexandria home of Jacqueline Kennedy personal secretary Mary B. Gallagher"

Why not include a picture of this delivery receipt?

I'm skeptical.
 
Finding the published console is not the problem here, its trying to tie this console to the claim it was in the White House during JFK's time.

And its just not adding up, with the White House's inventory tag/label, complete with mispellings and wrong serial number there again, a few typos, and it just leaves me wondering if it was really purchased in 1962. The only thing tying this to 1962 is that label affixed by some clerk.

I already asked the auction house for clearer provinance. And I'm sure the proof of delivery from the White House would at least put that piece in possession in 1964.

But 1962??? I don't see anything here that goes along with that thought process that this indeed was in service at the White house in 1962.

The label/tag (non Fisher, obviously) is suspect.
 
..it just leaves me wondering if it was really purchased in 1962. The only thing tying this to 1962 is that label affixed by some clerk....I'm sure the proof of delivery from the White House would at least put that piece in possession in 1964...But 1962??? I don't see anything here that goes along with that thought process that this indeed was in service at the White house in 1962..

Per the link I attached that model was from 1964 so it couldn't of been purchased in 1962

http://www.fisherconsoles.com/index.html

My understanding is the fisher console site is pretty definitive when it comes to models' & years.

Maybe @larryderouin will stop by to confirm as he's AK's resident Fisher historian.
 
1.) The label is incorrect with regard to the date. The E-49 model designation is for the 1964 (Aug1963 to Sept 64) model year. I've got one in modern sitting downstairs in my "crap stack" (term borrowed from Buglegirl) with the original back sheet. I stripped a 1964 EA a couple years ago due to the cabinet rotting. Plus flipping or stripping the guts of a few more of that year. Also the 1962 Custom electra cabinet is totally different
1962 Custom electra E-46. Early American
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See above post 32 for 1964 EA model pic.

2.) With regard to "HERITAGE". 1962 was the 25th Anniversary of FISHER Radio (he counted the Philharmonic radio years too) All had a pin backed 1" x 3" badge mounted above the phono with "Heritage Series" emblazoned on it. This continued thru the 1965 model year. You can see it in the post 32 pic.

3.)The Turntable in a 1962 Electra is a Garrard AUTO-SLIM. Turntable in a 1964 Electra is a AT-6. The Garrard AT-6 (in the Electra) was a 1st year change from the AUTO-SLIM used in prior years (cabinet actually gained a little size so a larger turntable could be installed. My 64 C.E. (Modern) is about 1"longer in width and about 1/2" deeper than my 62 C.E. provincial (this is interior measurement) from the tuner wall to the shell and front to back.

4.) Between Jon, and Carter, the research into FISHER is comprehensive and pretty complete. No better site to find info on FISHERS then the console site and here on the FISHER Forum (stickies for historical stuff).
 
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I just received an email from The Potomack Company who are the auctioneer asking me "Do you know what year this was actually manufactured?" but without a photograph.

Then I went onto the auction web site - https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/kennedy-white-house-fisher-cherry-entertainment_ACC46B09B7 - and looked at the auction photographs.

As far at the label saying "Fischer" and "'62" it doesn't mean anything. Who ever researched this made an error and/or didn't know what they were doing.

I told the auction house based on the photographs the console was manufactured in 1964.
 
I sent them an email Sunday saying it was a '64, with pictures of a 62 and a '64. 2 sources better than 1.
 
I ended up speaking with them on the phone. They said they might remove the listing.

The console came from the house of Jackie Kennedy's secretary.

Within an hour after speaking with them the listing was removed.

Unfortunately they didn't do enough research on the console. I'm surprised because the auction house does sell many high ticket items.
 
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