JBL Mystery Speaker Discovered

[Oldmics]

Found this article while perusing thru an old issue of "Audiocraft" magazine.This "Jourdan" speaker was renamed the "Harlan" a few months later.This add certainly ties this speaker to some designer heavyweights.
Behind the models head is a jewlery box designed by George Nelson for the Herman Miller Co.
I am very interested to know why the name was changed and who actually designed this particular cabinet.Any thoughts? Oldmics

[Mr. Widget]

I don't know a darn about it, but I know cool when I see it. That is a cool looking design.:cool: :cool:

[Don McRitchie]

Not sure who may have designed that enclosure. Alvin Lustig was hired around 1950 as a consultant to design JBL enclosures, graphics and driver aesthics. He is best known for the C35-C39 enclosures. He may have done the Harlan, but I was under the impression that he was no longer associated with JBL by the mid 50's. Arnold Wolf came on the scene around 1956, but I'm pretty sure the Harlan was done prior to his arrival. The name change was likely made by William Thomas. Harlan was his middle name and a number of contacts have confirmed that the speaker was named after him.

[Oldmics]

Hi Don,Thanks for the reply.I believe that you are correct in why the name was changed to the "Harlan".

The connection that I am looking for is since the Jourdan/Harlan cabinet was originally sold thru the Herman Miller furniture company who had design gurus such as George Nelson and Charles Eames. Might these deco pioneers have had a hand in the design of this C39 enclosure?
Based on the association of Nelson and Eames with the retail location (Herman Miller furniture co) who first advertised this product to the public.It seems plausable that they could have been involved in the design.

I know that Nelson did some design work for Audax in 1960 designing the CA100 speaker and that Eames designed enclosures for Stephens.So neither one of these designers were strangers to the audio world.
Certainly is an unusual piece of furniture.

Best regards,Oldmics (who is still pondering ???)

[Harvey Gerst]

I remember it as the Harlan (after William Thomas), but I vaguely recall a Jourdan, but we had a guy named Jourdan (either working at JBL or he was a friend of Margaret Jackson), and I believe he may have designed it.

We had several unique system arrangements for it, one of which had four D123's and an 075 in it, if I remember right. The grill fabric was special animal hair weave and cost a fortune per yard, as I recall.

Around that time, we did do a cooperative venture with Herman Miller on a cabinet they supplied and we loaded. I still have that cabinet.

[John Y.]

Harvey,

I want to thank you for bringing your memory bank to the forum. I see the explanation of the Harlan name fits William H. Thomas and, of course, the Hartsfield was named after Hartsfield, the designer. Guess it's pure coincidence that so many names started with Har---. Was the Harkness named after a designer? Too bad they didn't use "Harvey" to name one of the systems!! :D

In my opinion, the Harlan was one of the most beautiful of the Lansing designs. So danish modern in style. So elegant with the curved panel.

You might take a crack at identifying the "Mystery Speaker" that Don brought to the forum a few years ago. I attach a picture and it is found in the Heritage pages under ongoing research:



John Y.

[John Y.]

How does one attach a jpg? I don't seem to be able to.

John Y.

[John Y.]

Harvey,

Oh, well, here is the link to the mystery speaker that has the picture I was trying to send:

http://www.audioheritage.org/html/interact/research.htm

Can you help in identifying this?

John Y.

[Harvey Gerst]

Originally posted by John Y.
Harvey,

Oh, well, here is the link to the mystery speaker that has the picture I was trying to send:

http://www.audioheritage.org/html/interact/research.htm

Can you help in identifying this?

John Y. Whoa, THAT is a new one on me. I have never seen that picture or unit before. It was obviously from the time I was there, but I'm at a complete loss as to who designed it, or exactly when it was made. It looks vaguely like something Arnold Wolfe or Charles Eames (Herman Miller) might have done as a protoype, but I've never seen it before.

I'm guessing the bottom part of the cabinet is a rear-loaded folded horn, like the C40 (or in fact a modified C40 with a different grill), which means the speaker is either a 130A or 150-4C.

I would have remembered seeing something like that.

[Harvey Gerst]

Originally posted by John Y.
Harvey,

I want to thank you for bringing your memory bank to the forum. I see the explanation of the Harlan name fits William H. Thomas and, of course, the Hartsfield was named after Hartsfield, the designer. Guess it's pure coincidence that so many names started with Har---. Was the Harkness named after a designer? Too bad they didn't use "Harvey" to name one of the systems!! :D John Y. When I came out with the musical instrument series, I should have called them the "G" series instead of the "F" series. I could have argued that the "G" was for "Guitar", not for "Gerst". It was one of the first of the many "I shoulda" incidents in my life.

Another big "I shoulda" incident in my life was when I gave back Jimi Hendrix guitar to him, when I didn't like the action on it. I didn't realize he was giving it to me, not just loaning it to me. "I just shoulda" kept it.

[John Y.]

Originally posted by Harvey Gerst
It looks vaguely like something Arnold Wolfe or Charles Eames (Herman Miller) might have done as a protoype, but I've never seen it before.

I'm guessing the bottom part of the cabinet is a rear-loaded folded horn, like the C40 (or in fact a modified C40 with a different grill), which means the speaker is either a 130A or 150-4C.


Harvey,

I think the picture turned up with some promo shots of Paragon and Hartsfield. (That right, Don?) When we batted that one around in the forum, I speculated it was a modified C43 with base pieces cut off and turned on to the side. The dimensions of the woofer baffle that I scaled seemed to fit a little better than the C40. I was scaling from the dimensions of the serpentine lens. I guessed 150-4C, since it was in use with the 375.

I further thought it might be a configuration for center channel use with a pair of Hartsfields. Probably way out on a limb with that one, though.

It does look very Charles Eames since he liked to use that sort of leg configuration and very box like design.

John Y.

[Oldmics]

3 of 6 to be resurected

[Harvey Gerst]

Originally posted by John Y.
Harvey,

I think the picture turned up with some promo shots of Paragon and Hartsfield. (That right, Don?) When we batted that one around in the forum, I speculated it was a modified C43 with base pieces cut off and turned on to the side. The dimensions of the woofer baffle that I scaled seemed to fit a little better than the C40. I was scaling from the dimensions of the serpentine lens. I guessed 150-4C, since it was in use with the 375.

I further thought it might be a configuration for center channel use with a pair of Hartsfields. Probably way out on a limb with that one, though.

It does look very Charles Eames since he liked to use that sort of leg configuration and very box like design.

John Y. Yeah, the 435 would have been a likely candidate for that treatment. I don't think it was anybody associated with JBL internally, since the use of metal work for grill covering would have been unthinkable.

[John Y.]

Originally posted by John Y.
Guess it's pure coincidence that so many names started with Har---.

And, to follow up (with tongue in cheek), this gave me the idea to name my JBL equipped center channel the "Harlot". :o :D

John Y.

[mikebake]

When I came out with the musical instrument series, I should have called them the "G" series instead of the "F" series. I could have argued that the "G" was for "Guitar", not for "Gerst". It was one of the first of the many "I shoulda" incidents in my life.

Another big "I shoulda" incident in my life was when I gave back Jimi Hendrix guitar to him, when I didn't like the action on it. I didn't realize he was giving it to me, not just loaning it to me. "I just shoulda" kept it.
Well, Harvey, I'm no "new ager" but I kinda believe in the idea of "karma", and in these instances, I gotta believe you'll get your dues......................

[paragon]

Wow !!

Speaker ??, who is the girl in this pic ? :p

[Harvey Gerst]

Wow !!

Speaker ??, who is the girl in this pic ? :p
If you're talking about the girl pictured in this thread, she's a model. I do remember one catalog or flyer where Margaret Jackson (Bill Thomas' secretary, later his wife) posed for the pictures. Margaret was gorgeous, and I was pretty close to that side of the family, having a crush on Margaret at the time.

[paragon]

Interesting !

Thanks for info HiFi-Harvey.

Eckhard

[tijuannYque]

the great graphic designs of alvin lustig were utilized by jbl in 1950 through 1955 for product literature graphics. as a skilled designer he began submitting transducer and enclosure designs. he is credited for the s36 viscount, s38 baron, c34, c35 fairfield, c37 and c40 harkness. lustig died in 1955 but his designs continued to sell post humus. these enclusures were available with wood or spun aluminum legs. the spun aluminum legs are a george nelson office for herman miller thin edge design.
having nothing to do with the charles eames office. george nelson employed many design superstars under his design guidance. maybe alvin lustig had an association with the george nelson office. early enclsure finishes were available in oiled walnut and tawny walnut, popular finishes for george nelson herman miller furniture. i'm not sure since i have yet to find documentation, but i think alvin lustig was involved with thin edge furniture design for the george nelson office which he also used for jbl.