No one has been looking at them for the last 50+ years.

[myu701]

Incredible and extraordinary, multiplied by 100. :thmbsp:

Amazing how the Internet can create these kinds of connections. Marvin sought YOU out... Well, given how he had researched the value, he knew what Carl had. And from what you said about the deal taking 3 months, I'm not surprised. It was probably a rather complicated exchange to finally arrive at an agreement.

You said they were covered with cloth and so they weren't seen for 50+ years, but they were put to use during that time, right? I mean, if Carl went to all that trouble to acquire them, you'd think he'd be playing music through them for many years to come, up until his final day. I don't think you could've gotten anything much better in that form factor back in the mid 1950's. True TOTL.

Carl sounds like he was a very interesting man, given his taste and his musical connections. Was he a "behind the scenes" guy, or did he ever make it into the limelight?

Anyway, best of luck with the transport. Hope those JBL Hartfields arrive in great condition.

 

[DaWoofer]

I think I would have had to made a road trip. Incredible find.

 

[Jailtime]

Wow, gorgeous speakers! Cool story of how they found you too. What are you going to run them with?

 

[thedelihaus]

Beautiful. Are they yours now?

Yes they are.

Tom,

you never cease to amaze me. Wow.



How's the wife feel about these though? Are you going to need to install them in the boat?:scratch2:

 

[toxcrusadr]

Holy crap.

 

[tom1356]

Tom,

you never cease to amaze me. Wow.



How's the wife feel about these though? Are you going to need to install them in the boat?:scratch2:

Paul,
Admit it, you are easily amazed.

The weather has been brutal, when are you coming up?
Pam's not thrilled but that's a near constant state so I don't feel that bad ignoring her.
I have been on a crazy audio roll lately.
This is my second set of Hartsfields in two months.
Good to hear from you!
Tom

 

[Sam Cogley]

Sorry, I took this from your photobucket site, but if these are from the mid-50's, I am assuming that is $726.00 each considering there were still plenty of monaural systems in use at that time. A pair of those would have been $1,452.00 new, according to the inflation calculator, that's $11,457.74 to you and me in 2010.

According to that, as they're the Blonde finish, they would have been $735 each, tacking on about $200 more in today's dollars.

This is my second set of Hartsfields in two months.

Let me echo what was said earlier - HOLY CRAP.

Do you have any idea why Carl paid the upcharge for the blonde finish, then hid them in a wall?

 

[tom1356]

I assume when he bought the first one Carl planned to look at it.
The second was only $10.00 more than Mahogany, so why not match them up?
The first one was $735.00 but the second one was $865.00. The price went up because in February 1955 Life magazine did an article on Hi-Fi and called the Hartsfield the ultimate speaker. The Life article is on my photobucket page.
Demand skyrocketed and it saved JBL from possible bankruptcy.

 

[Strangeband]

That is simply awesome. Congrats on this amazing find. As they say in New Hampshire, Listen Free or Die! . . .or something along those lines.

 

[superdog]

Here's to you on quite a find and here's one to Carl for being the true audiophile that he was.Maybe not the score of the year but perhaps the find of the year.

 

[thedelihaus]

Paul,

Admit it, you are easily amazed. ...

True 'nuff!

...when are you coming up?...

I'll start working on that pronto! Would love to see you!

 

[Spellbinder]

Superlatives fail...
Incredible find.

Ditto.

Absolutely stunning find.

 

[Sam Cogley]

This is my second set of Hartsfields in two months.

I just thought of this - if you have a BIG room with four square corners, all you need is a Paragon for the ultimate surround sound system!

 

[Cactus Bob]

Those are amazing. Audiophile history at it's finest in the right hands, congrats!

 

[Andy_H]

I just thought of this - if you have a BIG room with four square corners, all you need is a Paragon for the ultimate surround sound system!

:jawdrop: I wonder if anyone has ever tried such a thing?

But seriously, this is a remarkable find. A real piece of audio history. I hope you derive much enjoyment from them!

 

[Sam Cogley]

:jawdrop: I wonder if anyone has ever tried such a thing?

The Paragon was originally designed as a center channel unit to operate between a pair of Hartsfields. JBL figured so few people had the room, finances and desire for such an operation that they just sold the Paragons and Hartsfields separately. No doubt it's been tried at some point in time.

 

[theophile]

I'm kinda glad that the title of this thread didn't verge into this territory:

 

[donberry]

wow

 

[Andy_H]

The Paragon was originally designed as a center channel unit to operate between a pair of Hartsfields. JBL figured so few people had the room, finances and desire for such an operation that they just sold the Paragons and Hartsfields separately. No doubt it's been tried at some point in time.

Ah, I did not know that. I thought the Paragon was intended to be a standalone unit. In any case, I read your comment as suggesting 4 Hartsfields plus a Paragon, which would have to be overwhelming.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Ah, I did not know that. I thought the Paragon was intended to be a standalone unit. In any case, I read your comment as suggesting 4 Hartsfields plus a Paragon, which would have to be overwhelming.

Oh, I was - as the OP indicated that this was his second pair of Hartsfields in two months. Why not think big?