An original 8x10" vintage photo from a large vintage NBC press photograph lot we acquired. Professionally packaged in a rigid mailer for safe delivery.

Photo Overview

A perspiring young radio performer delivers an impassioned on-air speech into NBC’s iconic “ring” microphone in a brick-walled courtyard at the National Broadcasting Company’s New York headquarters, summer 1932. His rolled-up sleeves, loosened tie and striped seersucker trousers capture the informal energy of early live outdoor broadcasts while he gestures animatedly to his unseen audience.

NBC’s ring mic became a symbol of the golden age of radio, debuting in 1929 and used by stars from Rudy Vallée to Lowell Thomas. Photos of on-location broadcasts from this formative era are scarce, making this a standout piece for collectors of broadcasting history—add it to your cart today before another fan of vintage radio snaps it up.

Text Present

Front lower-left in white ink: “#917”
Back purple stamp (center):
“A NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY PHOTO
ISSUED WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE
PRESS RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
G. W. JOHNSTONE, Mgr.
711 FIFTH AVENUE – NEW YORK, N.Y.”

Print analysis: Glossy silver-gelatin print on single-weight paper with contemporary NBC press-relations stamp and file number indicate a Type 1 original, printed within a few years of exposure c1932.

Condition: Good to fair vintage condition. Some photos may have age related wear / corner wear / wrinkling / etc. See photos for detailed scans of both sides of the image.