Mass Communication devices through the years, to display on a shelf?
July 17, 2024 12:33 PM   Subscribe

I'd like to make an attractive bookshelf display that shows various mass communication devices through history. What should I include?

Looking for lots of colour, brightness, texture. Playful, artsy vibe.
It's ok if the item doesn't work, it won't be touched.
Minimal logos or brands - For example, I don't want to show the name of any specific magazines. A tiny logo, like NIKON on a camera, is ok).

Approx size range should be, "Things that would look good from across the room on a bookshelf"... so probably Larger than an apple, and Smaller than a microwave. Miniature versions of an item, or cool pictures of an item, are also ok.

Funny items would be nice - like I was considering a pigeon!

Ideas I have so far:

NEWSPAPERS
Vintage camera, like a 35mm Nikon
Vintage typewriter
Wood letterpress blocks? (But they're small and visually dark, won't look good from far away - any ideas to find lighter brighter ones?)

BOOK PUBLISHING
Some vintage books...
What else?

MAGAZINES
?

ADS
?

RADIO
On-Air light-up sign
Vintage style microphone
Vintage 1950s radio

FILM / TV
Old film reel
Slate
Old megaphone
Cute mini TV

INTERNET
Apple iBook G3 (positioned so the Apple logo doesn't show)
Small neon WIFI sign
Other colourful ideas?

Thanks for suggestions!
posted by nouvelle-personne to Media & Arts (22 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Perhaps a telegraph key? Vintage telegraph keys can be had for reasonable prices.
posted by RichardP at 12:50 PM on July 17, 2024 [1 favorite]


Ticker tape.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:59 PM on July 17, 2024


Vintage telegrams.
posted by homodachi at 1:30 PM on July 17, 2024


Braun portable radio.

3M network card.
posted by mhoye at 1:36 PM on July 17, 2024


A Brownie camera would have interesting textures and a sturdy, iconic shape to it.
posted by graphweaver at 1:41 PM on July 17, 2024 [1 favorite]


Bells.
Signal flags. (Oh! A pirate flag! Arrr!)
Postcards.
posted by SPrintF at 1:45 PM on July 17, 2024 [1 favorite]


Would signal flags for semaphore have communicated, um, massly enough?

How about a print of a selection from the Lascaux Cave?

Or a small stack of stones to represent a cairn?
posted by phunniemee at 1:46 PM on July 17, 2024


Rabbit ears TV antenna, Sony Walkman, transistor radio, reel to reel tape deck, headphones, a laserdisc, a princess telephone or a novelty telephone
posted by LiverOdor at 2:00 PM on July 17, 2024


Does a warning system count as mass communication? Mini fire beacon? (Assuming someone's making miniatures of them... if not, a photo of one silhouetted against a sunset, or actually aflame?) Air raid siren? (... who knew you could buy air raid sirens from Amazon? Probably too big, but they say it's portable, so maybe...)
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 2:01 PM on July 17, 2024


An antique miniature printing press?
posted by hovey at 2:04 PM on July 17, 2024


A memeograph machine, a carousel slide projector, a fax machine
posted by LiverOdor at 2:19 PM on July 17, 2024


A cuneiform tablet.

An illuminated manuscript.

The written word was one of the first ways to communicate beyond those you actually met.

Hmm, or something representing pre-writing; Homeric epic? Poetry and song communicated story before writing.
posted by nat at 2:40 PM on July 17, 2024


A conch shell - used to announce a meeting to both human and spirit dwelling attendees.
posted by rongorongo at 3:00 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]


Quipu, knotted string communication device from the Andes. Incorporates color and number, and not yet deciphered in present day. Well, maybe better understood but still amazing and mysterious to us.

Megaphone. Plenty of "personal" and "mini" megaphones out there.
posted by xaryts at 3:07 PM on July 17, 2024 [1 favorite]


Bells. Dinner bell, aka farm bell. A hand-held very loud brass bell with wooden handle, comes in various sizes.
posted by xaryts at 3:47 PM on July 17, 2024


Backlit glass prints of narrative stained glass windows.
posted by Mizu at 4:37 PM on July 17, 2024 [1 favorite]


Are you including audio? the fax machine squeal, the dial modem connection sound, the Windows start up chimes, telephone ringtone and the busy signal, the sound of someone typing on a typewriter or keying Morse Code, the NBC chimes . Sound adds a dimension.

For tv, I'd also include the test card stations showed when they were off the air for the night. No 24-hour news, imagine!

For newspapers and magazines, make a diorama of a sidewalk newstand.

For ads, look for the engraved metal printing blocks.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:15 PM on July 17, 2024


Looking for lots of colour, brightness, texture. Playful, artsy vibe
glass insulators [beach combing]
posted by HearHere at 5:37 PM on July 17, 2024


A taxidermied (carrier) pigeon.

feathers will irridesce under the right lights too.
posted by unearthed at 6:14 PM on July 17, 2024


Quipu, knotted string communication device from the Andes. Incorporates color and number, and not yet deciphered in present day.
Also - if people ask, you can say "it's knot what you think". Jo Scott made a video on Quipus - the detail I like is that a major step in deciphering them was made, over Spring Break, by a student who happened to be in a quipu lecture.

Maybe a talking drum? - the can convey pretty specific messages to people in the know over over up to 5 miles.
posted by rongorongo at 3:51 AM on July 18, 2024


For advertising and radio, finding a 3D representation of the RCA dog with his phonograph could work, lots of options for different sizes out there.
posted by Eyelash at 5:27 AM on July 18, 2024


A Newton.
posted by jgirl at 10:55 AM on July 18, 2024


« Older Sober people who don’t drink caffeine or smoke...   |   How to change my mindset because I can't change... Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments