Mike asks: exactly when (what date) did the Peerless designs enter the "public domain"? Was it a willing gift to the public by the owner of Peerless at that time? Did they announce that they had abandoned their interests in their own designs?

There is no requirement for them to do so. I think you said it was a 1948 design. And it is still protected from public access by what? Is this special protection detailed somewhere? Patent law perhaps? good luck, none of the Peerless Originals I have on my shelf make any mention of patent protection on them anywhere, or in their boxes or the literature included to provide hook up instructions. Your reach has exceeded your grasp by more than a few miles on this one Mike.

Anyway, despite your claims to the contrary, there is no protection from public access to them beyond what you have ability to exercise over the actual paperwork and archives you bought( or in some way claim to have acquired ).

Unless you can achieve a more civil tone to your discussion, I am exiting as of now. I have told you what I am going to do, and if yu can't behave yourself I am not going to speak to you of it again.
cheers,
Douglas