Worlds First Flip?

[hupomeno]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1968-Sony-8FC-59-WA-Worlds-First-Digital-Flip-Clock-Radio-NO-RESERVE/122822031553?hash=item1c98c378c1:g:MgQAAOSwhvFZDqP9

Can this be verified that this is the "worlds first?" $750.00 price tag

[hupomeno]

I pulled up the search parameters in the listing. Below is the link to it.

https://www.sony.net/Fun/design/history/product/1960/8fc-59.html

[Mackey]

No, the one the guy's selling is NOT what he claims it is. I communicated with him before and told him as much. He did not appreciate that. He thinks all us flip clock collectors are stupid for not seeing the value in his clock.

The deal is, the Sony 8FC-59 (1968) has been proclaimed the world's first digital flip clock radio (emphasis on the clock radio). It is decidedly NOT the first flip clock. Here is the picture of it.


In the write up in the history you referenced and the eBay listing it says it was " 'nicknamed "Digital 24' ".
It wasn't "nicknamed" that, that was the name of the model. It was the actual name on the front of the clock radio (you can see it in the picture above).

The clock the guy on eBay is selling is one step removed from this, it's the model 8FC-59 WA and the name on the front is "Digimatic."
The guy is either delusional or deceitful.

The actual first (modern era) flip clock was the Copal 101 (1965). This was Japan's first digital clock. This was closely followed by the Copal 201 (1966) - this is the one that I have argued started the lates 60s-70s flip clock craze. There was also the first flip clock with a calendar in 1967, the Copal 601. But even before that there was the 1904-1910 Plato clock, and in 1936-39 there was the New Haven flip clock. In the 1950s there were also versions of true flip clocks produced under the Howard Miller name. See this article for details on the above clocks as well as the role of the Solari Udine Cifra 3 (1966). So there were no less than 3 solid and commercially successful flip clocks on the market even before the "Digital 24" was made.

This is not to put down the Sony 8FC-59 Digital 24. If I got a hold of one, I would definitely parade it around here. But even for a true "Digital 24" I wouldn't pay as much as the asking price ($750) for the phony "World's First Digital Flip Clock Radio."

[hupomeno]

All good stuff! So adding the radio was Sony's idea? When I saw it, I was skeptical because I read the Solari Udine article and knew that flips were prior to '58. Thank you. Definitely got to begin learning more to avoid being ripped off and seeking the genuine article. Thank you for this site.

[Mackey]

All good stuff! So adding the radio was Sony's idea? When I saw it, I was skeptical because I read the Solari Udine article and knew that flips were prior to '58. Thank you. Definitely got to begin learning more to avoid being ripped off and seeking the genuine article. Thank you for this site.

Thanks. Yes Sony made the first "flip clock radio" but it wasn't even the first "digital" clock radio. There was a Penncrest digital clock that had a rolling wheel clock in 1967.


from: Chillicothe Gazette Thusday, Dec. 14, 1967 pg13

and also the Standard Model SR-RL815F (see below) was being advertised the same time as the "Digital 24" (see at bottom)

From: Star Tribune Sun, Minneapolis,Minnesota Nov 23, 1969 pg68


from: Arizona Republic Thu Dec 18,1969 pg 20

So honestly, it's not as big a deal as some try to make it out to be. I don't think it's fair to say that it was Sony's idea at all. All manufactures were coming out with flip digital clock radios about the same time. They didn't wait to see Sony do it then jump on the bandwagon. It was coming together due to the Copal Company making all these relatively inexpensive, very well made, flip clock mechanisms. I think it was Copal's idea and a great one at that to get every manufacture to gobble up their Copal Mechanism. And as you know the rest is history as most clocks have Copal mechanism regardless of the manufacturer.

[Mackey]

Just one more thing. If you look in the advertising of the day, you'll find that it wasn't even until 1969 than any manufacturer was even advertising the newfangled flip clock radios. They all kind of hit at once. Sony apparently just wanted to try to make the claim that they had the first one for historical sake I suppose. The following shows a panasonic ad that included both a clock radio (with a regular clock) and a Cameron - the Panasonic RC-7469. And these days the Camerons tend to go for more than the early Digimatics - fair or not. So you can see it's pretty obvious that they were all heading that direction once Copal of Japan let it be known that they had a relatively small profile clock mechanism available. Heck, Panasonic and Sony even put them in Televisions in 1969..


from Corsicana_Daily Sun Corsicana,Texas Dec 7, 1969 pg23


from: Elk Grove Herald Elk Grove Village, Illinois Thu Dec 11,1969 pg5

[hupomeno]

Great stuff. I can see the marketing craze of the day in these ads; no different now with current trends and products. Nice nostalgia

[TheMidiThief]

I have the 8FC-59WK and I was doubting that it was the first clock radio and I was happy to find this thread. So what do you consider the value is of this model is if it's in good working condition?

[Mackey]

I have the 8FC-59WK and I was doubting that it was the first clock radio and I was happy to find this thread. So what do you consider the value is of this model is if it's in good working condition?

It's just a matter of how bad someone wants it at any given time. It's not really fair or accurate for anyone to put a definitive value on your clock. I recently watched a copal flip clock that would have probably sold for 40-50 dollars a year or so ago, sell for over 120 dollars (which made me frustrated. I thought I was overbidding at $100) . Five years ago, people thought is was ridiculous that a Panasonic RC-6025 (Grounghog Day Clock) would be sold for $100. Now you're lucky to find a nice one for under $200). I do think we're at the high point for flip clocks. Sellers on eBay have gone nuts with the prices that they're putting on some of their clocks. But you never know. So, like the old cliche, the clock is worth what someone is willing to pay.

Just speaking for myself, I wouldn't pay more than $60.00 for such a model. But then again, I'm not collecting Sony flip radios currently. A Sony collector may pay twice that if they really needed it to complete their collection.

[flipoclock]

I have one of these in my 'collection' (I collect to sell, hence it is not really a collection) in red which will be going up for sale soon. It is not in perfect nick, but very good and with some warranty added to it, I will be looking for 150-170 euros... Just to get an idea maybe.

I personally do feel that the color in this case adds a bit to the value, but maybe my views are a bit tainted since I love the color red :-)

[TheMidiThief]

Thanks guys! I was seeing prices between €50-€120 at the moment for the same or similar models. Now the problem is that the more I read about my clock the more I want to keep it

[flipoclock]

why is that a problem?

[Mackey]

Regarding the 8FC-59WA on eBay.
It just sold for $3.25. Sure the seller had the shipping jacked up to $34.19, but somebody walked away with this guy’s treasure for just under $38. So he probably will get about 20 bucks after shipping and fees. I hate to gloat, but this guy was trying to pull the wool over someone’s eyes. Or he was just dumb.