 PHILCO Memorabilia Company: Philco (Philadelphia Storage Battery Company)
Based: Philidelphia, PA. USA Founded: 1892 as Helios Electric Company, purchased by Ford Motor Company in 1961 Founder: Thomas Spencer Specialty: Early transistor pioneer, produced first commercially available germanium transistors, development of the surface barrier transistor, produced the first commercially available transistorized computer - the Transac S-2000. Leader ih early commercial Transistorized radios and TV's. The Philco 210, 211, 212 Computers. |  The Philco "transac" all transistor computer (1958) |
Philco "Surface Barrier" Transistor Paperweight (Mid to late 1950s)
Item #587
Philco was one of the biggest transistor manufacturers during the 1950's.
This clear Lucite paperweight features three unmarked Philco "surface barrier" transistors manufactured in the mid to late 1950's. The germanium PNP surface barrier transistor was invented by Philco in 1954 as an improvement to the alloy-junction transistor and the earlier point-contact transistor.
The Philco surface barrier high frequency transistor technology opened up the use of transistors for high-speed computers (replacing vacuum tubes) and was used in the first all-transistorized large-scale computer in 1957, the Philco S-2000 "Transac". Philco was later acquired by Ford Motor Company in 1961.
These types of Philco transistors would have been manufactured in Philco's Spring City, PA. facility for use in military mobile computers, industrial control computers, transistorized commercial computers like the "Transac", and radios.
The middle transistor has it's hermetically sealed top cap removed showing the transistor components inside.
Paperweight manufactured by Clear-Float, Inc. of Attleboro Mass.
In unused condition, Measures 2.5" wide by 1.5" deep by 2" high.
This clear Lucite paperweight features three unmarked Philco "surface barrier" transistors manufactured in the mid to late 1950's. The germanium PNP surface barrier transistor was invented by Philco in 1954 as an improvement to the alloy-junction transistor and the earlier point-contact transistor.
The Philco surface barrier high frequency transistor technology opened up the use of transistors for high-speed computers (replacing vacuum tubes) and was used in the first all-transistorized large-scale computer in 1957, the Philco S-2000 "Transac". Philco was later acquired by Ford Motor Company in 1961.
These types of Philco transistors would have been manufactured in Philco's Spring City, PA. facility for use in military mobile computers, industrial control computers, transistorized commercial computers like the "Transac", and radios.
The middle transistor has it's hermetically sealed top cap removed showing the transistor components inside.
Paperweight manufactured by Clear-Float, Inc. of Attleboro Mass.
In unused condition, Measures 2.5" wide by 1.5" deep by 2" high.
 Philco "Transac" Transistorized Computer (1959) |  Philco transistor ad (1958) |
 Philco Precision-Etch Transistor AD (1960) |  Philco Transistor (1958) |
AMD Amdahl Apple AT&T Bell Labs Burroughs Cray Cyrix ESI HP
Hughes IBM Intel ITT LSI Memorex Micron MIT Microvision Motorola
National Semi NCR NEC Nvidia Panasonic PHILCO PMI RCA
Remington Rand Samsung Sperry TSMC UNIVAC Western Electric Etc.
