Astatic D104 Microphone history and lineup

Just dealing with the Astatic D104 types today. Not dealing with the non D104 heads and Mics like the 10DA or Super Sidebander today. Cut and Paste from a vintage Astatic catalog: Away back in 1930, two radio amateurs, C.M.Chorpening, W8WR (now W8MJM), and F.H.Woodworth, W8AHW, both of Youngstown Ohio, began searching for a better microphone for their phone transmitters. Up until this time they had been using various carbon type microphones. The condenser type appealed to them as an answer to their problem. Several units were designed and given trials on the air. Before long, other amateurs among their acquaintance began visiting their shacks, interested in either building or buying this new type of 'mike'. Chorpening and Woodworth, encouraged by this interest, decided to form a partnership and build these units for their friends. While the condenser unit proved reasonably satisfactory, it had certain limitations which it was hoped could eventually be overcome. It was about this time that an old acquaintance, Mr Charles E. Semple of Cleveland, who had been visiting his "ham" freinds frequently, invited them to pay him a visit. With a background of phonograph and loud speaker experience, Mr Semple was then occupying bench space in the Brush Laboratories, experimenting nwith elements made from Rochelle Salts, (Sodium Potassium Tartrate). Through Mr. Semple, the two visitors met A.L.Williams, electrical and mechanical engineer, and Dr.C.B.Sawyer, scientist, who demonstrated the action of these new elements in relation to microphones, phonograph pickups, speakers, recording heads, earphones and other devices where it was desired to transform mechanical energy into electrical energy or the reverse. Here, it seemed, they had found the answer to a simple, low cost, dependable "mike" for the 'ham rig". By 1933, Chorpening and Woodworth found it advisable to incorporate a manufacturing and sales company and to branch out with a line of Crystal Microphones, Crystal Phonograph Pickups and Recording heads for manufacturers and Radio Jobbers. Mr Semple was brought into the new organization as designer and later as General Manager until his death in 1939. So here is the D104 lineup: G stand, 3 wire non amplified. Grip to talk only, Hi Impedance Only UG8 Stand added a wire to the G stand so now 4 wire 'Universal' hookup Tug8 added an amplifier buffer circuit will drive low and hi impedance Tug9 added 2 more wires for even more 'Universal' hookup Tup9 added the bottom Pushbar to the chicken choker Grip design Black Special was simply a Black painted base Silver Eagle started in 1976 Silver plated Tup9 with Eagle on the head Golden Eagle Gold plated Tug9 limited run for Bicentennial 1976 Night Eagle Black w/ Gold trim Tup9 Diamond Eagle Special Edition Limited 60th company anniversary run Gold colored brass, not real Gold and Diamond chip in head Tup9 Silver K Eagle and Knight K Eagle: added a single and mullti tone ETS Beep Silver Eagle Plus added a single ETS and VOX to a Silver Eagle rare D104C ceramic element in the head instead of crystal. Less output but smoother response. ARF-2001 D104C custom for the ARF-200 radio. Ceramic Head, Grey colored, custom FET amplifier in the base powered by the radio. Browning, Dak, and President all had D104's with a sticker emblem on the back of the head. All are collectable and highly prized.