HUGE MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY 1972 BLUEPRINT WORLD\'S 1ST HOME VIDEO GAME - MUSEUM PIECE

$HUGE MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY 1972 BLUEPRINT WORLD\'S 1ST HOME VIDEO GAME - MUSEUM PIECE$

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HUGE MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY 1972 BLUEPRINT WORLD\'S 1ST HOME VIDEO GAME - MUSEUM PIECE:
$500000.00

HUGE MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY 1972 ENGINEERING "BLUEPRINT" WORLD'S 1ST HOME VIDEO GAME

ORIGINAL 1972 MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY 1TL200

ENGINEERING “BLUEPRINT” FROM PRIVATE

MAGNAVOX MUSEUM COLLECTION

2022 WAS THE 50th ANNIVERSARY YEAR FOR THEWORLD’S FIRST HOME VIDEOGAME…ODYSSEY!

(Scroll down to see 40+ images)

BACKGROUND… I began working in a Magnavox retailstore in 1970 while in high school. Ibecame fascinated with the brand which – in that day – was the “Mercedes” ofthe consumer electronics business. Fortune’sFebruary 1964 article “Magnavox Goes Its Own Golden Way” cemented my desire toone day work for Magnavox. Aftergraduating from college in 1976, this dream came true. I had a 30 year career in various sales andexecutive positions, including Vice President of Merchandising. The Company realized my unique passion forMagnavox (and Philips…which acquired it in 1974) and considered me to be a handy resource as “unofficialhistorian”. The Company – and manyemployees – were generous in saving items of interest for me that were nolonger of use to the Company and would otherwise have been “tossed out”. Through this generosity and the wonders ofthe internet, I was able to assemble a private Magnavox Museum Collection thatis likely the most comprehensive extant.

The ”blueprint” being offered – technically – is a “whiteprint”. A true blueprint has white lines on a solidblue background. However the chemicalsused to produce a blueprint were powerful, and the process wascomplicated. A simpler and safer diazochemical process – once called “blue line process” - resulted in blue lines ona white background, which came to be called a “whiteprint”. However, the “whiteprint” term never totallycaught on, and most people call any engineering print that has a bluebackground OR blue lines a “blueprint”.Therefore, I will generally refer to this original Magnavox 1TL200Odyssey document as a “blueprint”.

I am sure that more than this example existed back in 1972as many Magnavox people had use for these blueprints. However, I have never seen onepictured anywhere on the internet (Note: do not confuse this “blueprint”with the post-production Magnavox Service Department document provided todealers as a routine white paper/black print schematic). In fact, I have never seen another example ofan 1TL200 “blueprint” anywhere at anytime - other than this one. It is dated6/9/72. Odyssey was released for sale byMagnavox in September of 1972.

In sum, though I do not want to claim that this is “the onlyexample in the world”, I seriously doubt that very many – if any – of thisdocument exist. Only time will tell...butin 50+ years – for me – this is it.

THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A COURT DOCUMENT AT ONE TIME…”ExhibitF” was written on the left margin of the “blueprint” sheet – outside of thecircuity portion (see image at right). Aclose-up of this marking was taken BEFORE framing, because the matting now concealsit. Magnavox was vigilant in assertingits rights as patent holder for the invention of the “Home Video Game”.

PRESERVATION METHODS FROM 1972 TO THE 50thANNIVERSARY YEAR… “blueprints” of this type can be highly perishable –especially when exposed to excessive light.This particular example spent decades folded in a brown envelope – and sawlittle to no light. Just last year, Idecided it was too historically significant to sit in an envelope anylonger. So in 2022 – its 50thAnniversary year – it iwas elaborately framed.

The framing was professionally done, using Museum Archivalquality materials. In an abundance ofcaution TWO UV-filtering acrylic sheets have been employed. As a further precaution, an aluminum-sandwichshade has been fabricated to ensure that light does not reach the “blueprint” unlessthere is a momentary “showing”. In fact,the attractive shade encourages comments and questions, making the “unveiling”of the engineering document all the more dramatic.

DIMENSIONS:The Frame measures 57-1/2” wide, 31-11/16” high, and 11/16” deep. The Shade measures 58” wide by 32” high, withan aluminum channel about 1-1/8” wide with felt strips/dots applied to help preventmarking the brushed finish of the frame.The viewable area of the engineering document is 44.5” wide by 20” high.

INVESTMENT POTENTIAL… the global gaming industry wasworth $152.1 BILLION in 2020. Themajority of this is enjoyed on a personal basis either on a PC or mobile device…whichloosely might translate – back in time – to be called “Home Video Gaming” becauseno one then envisioned the powerful and ubiquitous smartphones/tablets oftoday. In other words, the videogames weenjoy today at home or wherever we want (vs. those in an arcade) began withMagnavox Odyssey…the World’s First Home Videogame. Ralph Baer was the brilliant inventor, and itwas Magnavox that stepped up and assumed all the risk and cost of putting it inproduction as a consumer product.

So, to have an original 1972 “blueprint” of what started thehome/personal videogame craze is a very significant collectible.

We live in the world of a pristine Super Mario Bros. gamecartridge (which sold for $25 in 1985) selling at sale for $2 MILLIONDOLLARS!!! This is well-documented,and you can Google the details. Though Iam a biased observer perhaps, I just happen to think that this blueprint of theWorld’s First Videogame is a lot more historically significant…but I haveresisted the urge to list it for $2 million dollars.

PAYMENT: Bank to bank wire transfer.

PICK-UP ONLY (Atlanta Metro area)...due to the value, delicate nature of vintage blueprints, and the size; we will not ship. The buyer is responsible for pick-up or making packing/shipping arrangements.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF SALE…the sale is final and “asis” with no guarantees or warrantees expressed or implied. Documents of this type are light sensitive,and may degrade over time. It is the soleresponsibility of the new owner to preserve this “blueprint” and to transportit safely to the location of its new owner’s choosing.

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