Any "new" old radios out there in Fedoraville?

[RetroToday]

Just thought I'd share a couple of my new finds with you all at the Lounge, more old radios - it is a scary addiction now.

Has anyone else out there purchased an antique or vintage radio lately?
If so, post pics please, I'd love to see them! I bought three in the last couple of months, here they are:

c1925 Atwater Kent model 20, with a modified model L loudspeaker.
This is my oldest radio to date - It also came with a free adapter so I can plug it into the wall!

c1927 Fada Special model 265a (pretty beaten up, brittle pot metal inside).
I was given this for free when I recently bought a Victor Victrola.

1940s? Philco Transitone - Model 85 (Canadian)
I was practically given this one. I don't really favour radios of this era, but it was uniquely styled enough to pique my interest.

None of these are in absolute perfect shape, but I like to tinker and refinish the cases too, so I don't care, they'll look and sound great one day soon.
As always, you can see more pictures of these and the rest of my collection through the link in my signature, below.

 

[russa11]

here are two pictures of a 1927 RCA Radiola 18 that I recently got:

 

[RetroToday]

Great Radiola, russa11 - thanks for sharing so quickly!

Just wondering, is it in working condition?

 

[Sefton]

R.T., those are great. I love the Atwater Kent,can you tell me a little about it? Is this a difficult radio to find and if you don't mind my asking how much would one cost? My wife and I are buying a 1924 bungalow and it would be great to have a 20s radio in the living room. Please feel free to PM me if you'd rather give info privately. Thanks! Sefton

 

[russa11]

Thanks RetroToday, yes the radio is in working condition. But to be honest the volume is a little off. It seems that when I tune a really strong station, WBZ (50,000 watts I believe) it is so loud that I have to adjust the tuning dial just to lower the volume because the volume switch will not do it enough.


Here are a couple of others that I have picked up:

 

[kpreed]

My everyday listening radio, a 1936 Crosley 715 Corsair

 

[russa11]

that's a nice radio kpreed!

 

[kpreed]

Thank You! Works great too.

 

[RetroToday]

R.T., those are great. I love the Atwater Kent,can you tell me a little about it? Is this a difficult radio to find and if you don't mind my asking how much would one cost? My wife and I are buying a 1924 bungalow and it would be great to have a 20s radio in the living room. Please feel free to PM me if you'd rather give info privately. Thanks! Sefton

No problem Sefton,

It wasn't too difficult to find, but it happened when I wasn't looking for it. I went to the seller's house to look at 1930s Philco Cathedral radio, which turned out to be not so great looking and this Atwater Kent was on a shelf with a few other old radios. He wanted 80 bucks for it and threw in the speaker and battery eliminator for free. I think he was just very happy that somebody as young as me was into old radios and that I wasn't a dealer.

I think I did well on the price of the radio, etc, but it depends on who you ask out there. There are a lot of older collectors that would never pay that kind of money for that radio, but the prices in their heads are stuck on 1975.
Seems it's common to pay at least a couple hundred dollars for a set like this.

Radios of this era are becoming harder to find, many of the collectors out there already have them or used the not so good ones for parts. You can still find them for reasonable prices, but you have to keep looking no matter how bleak it seems. Atwater Kent radios were some of the best advertised, better quality, highly produced radios, so this brand is not rare for 1920s radios.

Check out http://www.atwaterkentradio.com/ if you want to learn more, a great site.

Now..... I need to get a vintage house like you! Can't wait to find one of my own.

 

[RetroToday]

that's a nice radio kpreed!

I second that!

Looks like a great one to listen to every day and when it's off, something beautiful to look at too. Any good stations that play 1930s music out your way?

 

[kpreed]

No, most A.M. radio around here is just trash. I do my AMT3000 from the internet or from my computer hard drive all day. Thanks, glad you like my radio. Of all my working radios (12) this has the best sound .

 

[PrettySquareGal]

1940s? Philco Transitone - Model 85 (Canadian)
I was practically given this one. I don't really favour radios of this era, but it was uniquely styled enough to pique my interest.

I actually love this radio!

 

[RetroToday]

I actually love this radio!

Hi PSG,
I really do love this radio too - I buckled and bought it because I like how it's styled, a lot. I think it may be unique to Canada, don't believe there's a similar American model, at least I haven't found it yet.

I've been trying to focus on the pre-1940s era with my stuff I collect, this one made me break my unwritten collecting rule.

 

[RetroToday]

Thanks RetroToday, yes the radio is in working condition. But to be honest the volume is a little off. It seems that when I tune a really strong station, WBZ (50,000 watts I believe) it is so loud that I have to adjust the tuning dial just to lower the volume because the volume switch will not do it enough.

Russa11,

It's too bad there's no good stations in your area. There's only a couple dedicated ones in my area that play oldies still. I basically keep all my radios tuned to AM740 Toronto, the only one that regularly plays 1930s and 1940s hits.

Your other radios are great too, I especially like the RCA Victor. The way the dial light plastic protrudes and lights up is such a cool feature of that era.

Thanks.

 

[Sefton]

RT, thank you for the info and the useful link. I really love the look of the Atwater Kent and I'll definately keep my eyes open for one. I just need to find a seller who still thinks it's 1975 (shouldn't be too hard up here around San Francisco! ).

 

[59Lark]

vast collection electrohome radios

Dear Radio lovers; i was teaching and repairing ancient sewing machines at a pioneer museum in kitchener ont, and i could not help but see many beatiful radios and tvs in the hall as i went to the curate room. I was told you havent seen nothing yet and was taken to a storage room that was full and i was told there was more. A great company electrohome was located nearby when they went out of business they gave the museum there collection. WE are talking staggering from early to the later. So many beatifull cabinets with I love lucy era tvs. Right up to bubble clear dome stereos,even early projection models, big metal car radios, fans and industrial radios, I am still staggered by the collection. Huge radio units ,many art deco cabinets and much more, i was elated, however the bad news, no permanent display till the new museum is built and finished 2012. Really Lark 59

 

[Ripper]

This is my most recent one, the problem child, It is a 1941 Wards Airline radio/phonograph which I am Still Trying to find information on.

 

[RetroToday]

This is my most recent one, the problem child, It is a 1941 Wards Airline radio/phonograph which I am Still Trying to find information on.

Nice radio/phono!

I don't know if you've tried repairing radios, there are a few places you can look for schematics to fix the electronics. Was made for sale through Montgomery Ward dept stores. I think I had this conversation recently about a Wards radio, hope I'm not just spewing out the same information here.

If you know the model number of this radio/phono it's possible you may find it at the following link for free:

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/265/T0000265.htm

Booklets, pamphlets and other information may be out there, will help if I can, depends on the kind of information you need.

 

[russa11]

that is a nice radio/phonograph Ripper. Does the phonograph work?

 

[Ripper]

Thanks, The phono does not work at this time. I plan on pulling her apart this weekend. Retro, I have tried EVERYWHERE to find schematics or anything for that matter. A photograph would be great but it is like the model does not exist I plan on restoring it to origional, or at least close.