Artifact Details

Description

The object consists of nine pieces. The objects are cartridge-type, point-contact germanium transistors.

Per Jack Ward, Transistor Museum -
"Western Electric Pre-Production Type 1729 (9 pieces), developmental germanium PNP point contact transistors. 1951-1953. Shortly after the June 1948 public announcement of the invention of the transistor by Western Electric, this legendary company began development of initial pre-production devices, more robust that the first experimental units, that could be used by device engineers and circuit designers to better understand the performance characteristics of this new technology. One of the first of these pre-production types was the 1729, with exploratory data sheets dated as early as 1951. These 9 units in this lot are very early examples of the metal cartridge case style developed by Western Electric for the first production point contact transistors. The 1729 was used extensively for circuit application development purposes and was later released as the more standard 2N25 type. One of the units in this lot is hand labeled as “1729” – the other units have more formal paper labels identifying these units with a number “id”. This methodology suggests that these units were used in an engineering study. Rare – these types of pre-production point contact transistors were produced only in the early 1950s and the few remaining units provide a “hands-on” look at the first transistors."

Date

Circa 1950 - 1951

Manufacturer

Western Electric Co.

Place Manufactured

US

Identifying Numbers

Other number	15C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	17C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	21C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	2C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	33C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	36C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	42C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	43C	On one of the pieces.
Other number	8C	On one of the pieces.

Dimensions

overall: 1/4 in x 2 in x 3 3/4 in

Category

Component/Semiconductor/transistor

Collection Title

The Paul Sullivan Collection of Early Semiconductors

Credit

Gift of Pat Sullivan Belotti

Lot Number

X7957.2017