Old smells, that immeditately transport you back in time?

[FountainPenGirl]

You mentioned grade school. How the smell of a fresh mimeographed copy. We used to get a kick out of that when the teacher would hand out something.

 

[vitanola]

There is nothing quite like the hot-varnish/burning dust smell inside a tube-driven commercial radio transmitter. It's similar to that flashbulb aroma of hot glass, but has a distinct overtones of ozone and transformer oil. Stick your nose inside an RCA BTA-250L, and you'll never forget it.

Ah!

I used to know that smell intimately.

The one thing that I lost in my late fire which I most miss is my old WECo 41A/42A/43A amplifier rack with is associated non-synchronous turntable set and 16A horn. It was a perfect, though perhaps unwieldy, outfit for playing records. I picked it up back in the early 1980s , in the days before the East Asian vogue for such hear ran prices through the roof. Here is what the amp rack looked like:

Those big 211s made the thing quite the toaster!

This was the speaker horn:

The only attainable part of the rig today is the turntable set:

I was lucky enough to find one just last month (not quite in this condition -- YET!)

 

[3fingers]

Ah!

I used to know that smell intimately.

The one thing that I lost in my late fire which I most miss is my old WECo 41A/42A/43A amplifier rack with is associated non-synchronous turntable set and 16A horn. It was a perfect, though perhaps unwieldy, outfit for playing records. I picked it up back in the early 1980s , in the days before the East Asian vogue for such hear ran prices through the roof. Here is what the amp rack looked like:

View attachment 98399

Those big 211s made the thing quite the toaster!

This was the speaker horn:

View attachment 98401

The only attainable part of the rig today is the turntable set:

View attachment 98402

I was lucky enough to find one just last month (not quite in this condition -- YET!)

That is quite impressive. What size space would something like that serve?

 

[vitanola]

That is quite impressive. What size space would something like that serve?

A medium sized moving picture theater. This was a typical Vitaphone sound system of 1928-30.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We had a lot of stuff left over from our original Movietone installation of 1929 down in the cellar before the renovation, but it, along with the second-hand Photophone stuff installed in the 1940s, and which remained in the booth until 2004, was all sold for scrap metal when the contractors moved in. I wasn't there yet to prevent it, and I've been smouldering about it ever since I found out.

I have experience with Photophone sound racks, since we had one at the drive-in years ago. The smell was the same, but they were also liable to be infested with wasps, so you didn't want to stick your beezer in too close.

 

[vitanola]

You know, at just about the time that your renovation was taking place I sold a couple of ERPI crossovers from the mid thirties, which had been installed in a small theater as part of a"Mirrorphonic" upgrade to their 1928 or 1929 vintage Vitaphone equipment for about $5000 a pop. They looked for all the world like small electrical cut-out boxes...

 

[2jakes]

You know, at just about the time that your renovation was taking place I sold a couple of ERPI crossovers from the mid thirties, which had been installed in a small theater as part of a"Mirrorphonic" upgrade to their 1928 or 1929 vintage Vitaphone equipment for about $5000 a pop. They looked for all the world like small electrical cut-out boxes...

Vitanola;
You would've gone "meshuga" if you had seen the equipment in his
"home"movie theater this man had from the 1920s, 30s & 40s.

Looked like a public movie theater. Another room was for playing cards.
Another for playing billiards.Each huge room was fully equipped with
whatever you desired.
I lived there for a year back in 1978. I was the "errand" boy for
Mrs. Warner and caretaker of the silver, paintings, statues and
pricey knick knacks.
Everything had a sensor if moved from it’s location.
I had my own cottage inside the huge estate.
I speak several languages and would translate for the Warners
their specific orders to the staff that came from all parts
of the world who were not familiar with English.
My favorite folks were the cooks and the foods they prepared.
I wish I had been more interested in the equipment you mentioned.
At the time I was more interested in finishing school.

I did get to hold a couple of “Oscars" he had on the shelves.

The smell of "opulence" is what comes to mind.

Jack Warner's on Angelo Dr. Beverly Hills.

 

[Bushman]

The smell of a REAL pine tree. Reminds me of my childhood. My parents don't get real trees anymore because my mother is allergic to pine, so any chance I get to smell it is a treat.

 

[2jakes]

The smell of a REAL pine tree. Reminds me of my childhood. My parents don't get real trees anymore because my mother is allergic to pine, so any chance I get to smell it is a treat.

I went to the bank to finance for a real pine tree.
They will call back tonight to tell me if the loan has been approved.

 

[HadleyH1]

Did I mention that rose perfume...dusty rose....reminds me of my aunties? all gone now but so much fun and forever remembered...

 

[2jakes]

Always reminds me of my dear grandmother.

Gardenia flowers she grew in her garden. I recall her adding coffee grinds in the soil
on some of the other plants in her garden.
But I was very young and can't say for sure.

HadleyH1
The camera loves you.
Beautiful avatar.

 

[3fingers]

I went to the bank to finance for a real pine tree.
They will call back tonight to tell me if the loan has been approved.

We had always had a real tree. My wife decided a few years ago we would use an artificial tree that she had picked up someplace. This year she asked if we could return to having a real tree again. I was happy to do so, but my goodness the prices have basically doubled in 2 or 3 years.

 

[2jakes]

 

[scottyrocks]

One of my co-teachers said to me today that she found a bottle of Musk, and made mention of the theme of this thread - how it took her back so many years (she knows nothing of TFL). I happened to be looking a this thread at the time.

It was definitely a moment.

 

[scottyrocks]

You mentioned grade school. How the smell of a fresh mimeographed copy. We used to get a kick out of that when the teacher would hand out something.

One of my favorite jobs when I was in grade school was to go to the office to pick up the freshly mimeographed pages, and sniff them on the way back to the classroom. Which might explain a few things. haha

 

[itsallgood]

Play-Doh

I rediscovered it when we had kids. Popped that lid of a fresh can and it took me right back.

After that, I always kept a small can on my desk at work. If I ever had a particularly rough day, I'd close my office door, pop that lid for a moment, and all my worries of the day would immediately dissipate.

 

[FountainPenGirl]

Another one is on a cold winter's day in the crisp air the smell from the chimney from the fire burning in the stove. Especially at Christmas time at Grandma's When I had to make that trip to out-house after dinner. Now at home I catch that smell in the air as I'm getting home. My husband usually has the fire going good in the cook stove in time to make supper.

 

[scottyrocks]

Play-Doh

I rediscovered it when we had kids. Popped that lid of a fresh can and it took me right back.

After that, I always kept a small can on my desk at work. If I ever had a particularly rough day, I'd close my office door, pop that lid for a moment, and all my worries of the day would immediately dissipate.

I think they have a help-line for that now.

 

[2jakes]

I think they have a help-line for that now.

I go to Fedora Lounge.
All my worries vanish "pronto"!

 

[scottyrocks]

TFL relieves your Play-Doh addiction?