John Logie Baird recording saved for the nation

The BBC reports that an anonymous donor with links to John Logie Baird’s home town has stepped in to ensure a historic recording of his first transmission of trans-Atlantic TV pictures will stay in Scotland.

The 1927 footage, on a phonovision shellac disc, is the world’s oldest surviving 78rpm piece of video.

It features Logie Baird’s ventriloquist dummy Stookie Bill, which he used when developing his invention.

The recording will now be stored at Glasgow University.

It was part of a collection which was made subject to an export bar in April, following fears the collection would go to an overseas buyer when it was first put up for sale.

With the bar on exports set to expire on 29 September, the university has confirmed it is buying the collection with the help of an anonymous local businessman.

Read more at http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34379547