My Vintage Radio Collection

[LizzieMaine]

More like recreating them as they once were -- I've got playlists of appropriate recordied programming loaded onto a series of three second-hand Mac Minis picked up for peanuts on Ebay, and they play thru Itunes using an automation/scheduling app called "Daypart." The audio feeds from each Mini into one of the transmitters, each set to a different frequency, and it's basically a set-and-forget proposition.

 

[decojoe67]

Here's a nice little bakelite radio that would've been perfect for the kitchen. It's a 1948 Bendix model 111. Bendix, who made many other products, made a slew of streamlined bakelite radios in the late '40's. A nice feature was the cabinets opened bottom design that went over the chassis. This made for a smooth looking radio from the front and back. They use the reliable All-American-5 chassis'.

 

[Edward Reed]

 

[LizzieMaine]

Women did nearly all the assembly work in most radio factories of the "classic era." Something about "small, nimble hands able to fit into confined chassis spaces," and also something about being paid 2/3 the wage of male assembly line workers.

Atwater Kent factory, 1925

 

[vitanola]

Just picked up a radio. Guess that I am officially a plutocrat.

 

[vitanola]

I was at a phonograph auction this weekend. Phonographs and gramophones were not too bad, prices generally were soft. Radios, however, were giveaway prices in many cases. I do t much care for post-1933 stuff, but at nearly free for restored working examples I had to make room. That Scott All Wave 15 in my last post came from that phonograph sale. It was ridiculously cheap, and restored, which a beautiful chromium
Plated chassis and a Jensen speaker with the cast basket. Then there were these:

 

[vitanola]

Philco radio timer. Turns the set on and off at set times

 

[vitanola]

Kadette Model H. First Cigar Box radio, and first set with a Bakelite cabinet. 1931

 

[vitanola]

A couple of post-war Motorola sets.

 

[vitanola]

 

[vitanola]

A little Tiffany Tone miniature cathedral of 1932 vintage:

 

[vitanola]

An Arvin and an Airline

 

[vitanola]

A battery powered jewel case Emerson for M’Lady’s dressing table:

 

[decojoe67]

A couple of small finds.
The first one is beautiful little 1948 Automatic Radio Tom Thumb "Buddy". It's AC/battery with a a beautiful maroon swirled plastic and alligator case with gold toned metal metal parts. The knobs are translucent red and the dial reminds me of early auto radio dials. It works like a champ on batteries.
The second is circa 1947 Carron "Amplified" 78RPM-only phonograph. I like it's rather severe machine-age Khaki-colored hammer-tone painted metal cabinet. It has a teardrop design with speaker on top and cooling vents on the curved side. It's been restored with a modern cartridge that's kind to my 78's!

 

[decojoe67]

Here's a small brown bakelite 1939 RCA Victor model 45X1 "Little Nipper". There's was a slew of similar wooden and bakelite versions of this set including a very valuable catalin version. These might be small, but are great performing AA5 radios.

 

[decojoe67]

....and another 1939 RCA Victor "Little Nipper" model 40X50. This is a wood version in "modern-blonde" The finish, which would be very popular after WWII, was rarely seen on a radio in the pre-war days. It's a little set, but the cabinet and performance are of good quality.

 

[decojoe67]

This is a not often seen 1933 American Bosch 370-X mini deco console. It has a quality 7-tube "Vibro-Power" chassis with 4-bands and good size speaker. The unusual things about it are the, very modern for the time, slide rule dial, which shifts up/down for shortwave, the 45 degree mounted chassis, and the two-piece hinged control cover. It's small, but has a quality feel in and out with nice veneers. I just did a basic clean-up with it for now. It plays very well.

 

[decojoe67]

Here's a 1930 Echophone model S-4 "Bantam". These were the first "cathedral" model radios produced, which were known as compact or midget sets. Compared to the heavy "railroad-tie" radios that came before with external speaker, these really were compact. Much smaller and drastically lighter. The clean, simple design further emphasized this. The tuner is a lit metal drum type. The odd thing about these is the rear toggle on/off switch, which is factory correct. Echophone radios had been manufactured in Los Angeles, but by mid-1930, when this model was produced, they were manufactured in Chicago.

 

[decojoe67]

1929 - the stock market crashed and the hugely successful radio company, Atwater Kent, offered their last "casket" style radios, the model 55 with matching F-4 external speaker. They were offered in two-tone green or red. It's a high quality heavy, all metal cabinet and speaker. The speaker actually was not meant to be placed atop the cabinet. It covers a beautiful brass medallion and sits wobbly on the convex surface. It was meant to be put on a table. This set works well as-is after 92 years. Yes, unbelievable!

 

[tonyb]

Philco radio timer. Turns the set on and off at set times View attachment 327867

What will they think of next?