Any "new" old radios out there in Fedoraville?

[RetroToday]

My addiction to collecting vintage radios continues - a new one was welcomed into the fold two days ago. :eusa_doh:
Locally, I bought this very nice Canadian-built seven tube Stromberg Carlson tabletop (or tombstone) radio, Model 60 - I think it's from 1934, but not quite sure.

Here it is:

Closeup of the dial & wood knobs

A look into the back of the radio.

The "guts" of the radio, taken out of the wooden case.

You can see more images of this radio at the following link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremyhopkin/sets/72157608255635796/

Best thing is, it was serviced a while back and it works well!
I got quite a good deal on this one at $25. Still can't believe it!

 

[John in Covina]

That's a steal!

 

[RetroToday]

That's a steal!

I think so too John - the seller didn't care, he just needed to clear out the house and was glad it was going to a good place.

Looked through my old newspaper clippings and discovered that I have a couple ads that feature the Stromberg Carlson model 60T that I found.
This is an image I cropped from an advertisment for Eaton's department stores' radio sales department (Late 1934):

The model 60T was introduced in late 1934 as a new model for 1935, so I guess that technically makes this a 1935 radio?

A lot of the old advertisements call this a "Treasure Chest" radio..... hmm.

 

[John in Covina]

1934 and a half?

 

[RetroToday]

1934 and a half?

Yeah, weird, hunh? [huh]

Next year's radio models were usually introduced in September - not with all companies, which is confusing sometimes.

I used to date my old radios by the year they were brought out onto the market, but it seems like the popular concensus for the radio collectors out there is to date it by the 'model line' for each year. Tricky with some radio makes.

 

[Flivver]

The confusion between calendar year and model year applies to radios of the golden era, just like it applied to cars. I tend to use model years because of my auto industry association. Both cars and radios were marketed as style items...hence the need for model years.

At the start of the radio industry in the early 1920s, new radios were often introduced in the fall, in time for the big Christmas selling season. Thus, most 1924 model year radios were introduced in the fall of 1923.

By 1927, the RMA (Radio Manufacturer's Association) began scheduling its big annual trade show in June. Radio manufacturers would display their "next-year's-models at the RMA show, where they would take orders for delivery beginning around October (in plenty of time for the Christmas trade).

But, around 1932, things got more complicated. Some manufacturers, most notably Philco, began announcing a "second" line in January. These January, or half-year models, were usually new cabinet designs on chassis that were announced the previous June. But not always.

This practice makes it difficult for collectors today to precicely date their radios. I have found that the radio dealer trade magazine "Radio Retailing" is an excellent way to precicely date radios. It is chock full of announcements, ads and tables that are hard to find elsewhere.

 

[Adelaide]

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 .

Sorry to butt-in here, but I had to agree with this. I too have old radios and love them, but it is a horrible disappointment to turn them on and hear either rap or someone repeating Hail Mary's over and over again. There are no classic A.M. stations here. I have to listen to my album collection for good music.

I would be thrilled to hear appropriate beautiful music coming through those old tubes and cans again...

A.

 

[RetroToday]

Sorry to butt-in here, but I had to agree with this. I too have old radios and love them, but it is a horrible disappointment to turn them on and hear either rap or someone repeating Hail Mary's over and over again. There are no classic A.M. stations here. I have to listen to my album collection for good music.

I would be thrilled to hear appropriate beautiful music coming through those old tubes and can again...

A.

Luckily here in Toronto we still have oldies stations on AM and even a couple that play big band showcases for a good amount of time. But, of course, it's not on demand and you sometimes run into a lot of easy listening garbage.

That transmitter mentioned previously is probably the best way to go.
You basically host your own broadcasting radio station that can play whatever vintage tunes or radio shows you like from your home computer to your old radios.

 

[Brinybay]

I appreciate the restore offer, I'll keep it in mind, but because of the distance, shipping would probably be cost prohibitive. I'm sure I can find one around here somewhere. Just a quick look last night and I found one in Portland, OR.

I found one even closer, and he does superb work from the looks of it. Check out the beauties on his website: The Radio Nut

 

[59Lark]

great collection in kitchner ont. toronto radio fans.

When I saw canadian radios, it made me think of electrohome radios, when i was working at dune pioneer museum restoring antique singer sewing machines, i happened to notice radios, early tvs, everywhere in the hallways and nearly in the bathroom at the storage and restoration building at the pioneer museum, seems electrohome going out of business gave their own museum almost an example of everything they made in 75 years or so. To the musuem and its wild, I love lucy era tvs, war time units for the army etc. to the bubble stuff of the eighties, futurama, now its a special invitation to look, and the new museum they are building will have a display for this collection but that wont be done till 2012. Hey i bought a retro crosley record player for xmas, my kids got me what i wanted, black removable lid, build in speakers, suit case looks forties, but has a usb port on back to down load your records onto the computer. wild. so far have been playing my soundtrack for the movie tucker a lot. 59Lark .

 

[RetroToday]

Another Canadian-built Crosley radio recently fell into my hands. Well, um, it's actually a clock-radio. Along with it came a free box of new old stock vacuum tubes that are meant for it!

There's a couple more "new" old radios I haven't photographed yet, will post them here soon.

1953 Crosley model D25. Nicknamed the "Dashboard", can you guess why?

This one has a cool Crosley emblem!

Closeup of the radio tuning dial

Closeup of the alarm clock dial

 

[ScionPI2005]

That's a beautiful Crosley! I like how the design concept of the 50's focused on the "circular retro look" That same design of the circular dash was shown in plenty of cars at the time, as well as other radios, and even watches. My Benrus Dial-o-Rama has the same "dashboard" look.

Very nice! :eusa_clap

 

[kpreed]

Sorry to butt-in here, but I had to agree with this. I too have old radios and love them, but it is a horrible disappointment to turn them on and hear either rap or someone repeating Hail Mary's over and over again. There are no classic A.M. stations here. I have to listen to my album collection for good music.

I would be thrilled to hear appropriate beautiful music coming through those old tubes and cans again...

A.

Glad you did. I really like playing the right year tunes over my radios. This year I was so happy to play the War of the Worlds recording on it's 70th over my 1936 Crosley 715 (yes, it was two back then)

 

[Mr. 'H']

Closeup of the alarm clock dial

Yowzah!

You just can't beat that font they used, reminds me of my '41 Buick dash. What's the name of that font anyway? [huh]

 

[RetroToday]

Yowzah!

You just can't beat that font they used, reminds me of my '41 Buick dash. What's the name of that font anyway? [huh]

Those old display fonts are great, but many of them are still not readily available for the computer. I found many that are somewhat close to the one on this radio, but no cigar - In most cases I found the letters seem they are the proper style, but the numbers always have serifs.

 

[RetroToday]

Here's another one I found recently, it needs a bit of TLC.

RCA Victor, model A-1. - I think it's from the mid-1940s. Has Standard and Shortwave receiving capabilities.

The lady who sold it to me said it was from her late father's collection, who was a barber by trade that tinkered with fixing old radios and tvs in his spare time. I told her I was getting into repairing radios as well and she asked me to wait a couple minutes. She brought up a big box of vacuum tubes and gave them to me for free, saying that she was about to throw them out!

My Grandmother visited my house in November of 2008 and gasped in shock when she saw it. She then asked, "Where did you get my old radio?". Turns out this is the exact same model of radio she bought in Toronto when she first moved here in the 1940s.

 

[RetroToday]

Very happy to have won a 1931 Philco Grandfather Clock Radio (model 570) last night at a local auction for a good price.
I'm picking it up from the auction site tomorrow. The radio inside is a model 70a chassis.

In the future when I tell people that I own a clock radio, they won't expect this.

* UPDATED Dec 8, 2008: Photos and new data

 

[Fletch]

In the future when I tell people that I own a clock radio, they won't expect this.

My my my...Looks all ready for television installation! Yes, Philco was hard at work on TV in '32, and this would easily have accommodated the second receiver required, as well as a scanning disc and magnifier! Just imagine...

 

[RetroToday]

My my my...Looks all ready for television installation! Yes, Philco was hard at work on TV in '32, and this would easily have accommodated the second receiver required, as well as a scanning disc and magnifier! Just imagine...

Cool mod Fletch! :eusa_clap

Although, you'd have to stand while watching television or have a very high stool. If you sat on a sofa and looked up to this for any length of time I think you'd get a nasty kink in your neck!

 

[ScionPI2005]

I didn't know they had those. That's pretty cool looking. Let us know how it goes when you pick it up.

Very happy to have won a 1932 Philco Grandfather Clock Radio (same model as this borrowed image) last night at a local auction for a good price. Not yet sure if it's a model 70 or 71, both have the same appearance up front.
I'm picking it up from the auction site tomorrow.

In the future when I tell people that I own a clock radio, they won't expect this.