What the devil kinda radio is this?

[Kamakiri]

My boss here at work found this bugger in his attic, belonged to his uncle many MANY years ago.

Any ideas?

[radiotvnut]

That's a battery operated radio from the early '20's. I don't recognize the maker; but, maybe someone will chime in.

[Ultra-Hog]

That's a keeper! I recognize the face and some of the internal components from pictures that I have seen before. I am at work now but I have an antique radio site bookmarked at home that has radios that look like yours. I will find it and post the link for you unless someone else does so first.

[Reece]

This is most likely a "homebrew" or homemade set from the very early twenties. All of the parts were available separately then and many guys made their own sets. The tube is very early, with its brass base, short pins, and evacuation tip on top. Don't try to test the tube or do anything to it. They are more and more rare and collectible, as is the whole set, even moreso if all is together with the tube as it appears to be. That tube is probably a WD-11. May have info marked on the base. Tube is valuable even if not good, but may be good. All I would do with this set is dust it off carefully and then clean with damp cloths. The owner may want to keep it as a family heirloom. You can get more opinions on it by posting your query with pictures over on Antique Radio Forum, the Antique Radio Discussions division.

Reece

[Arkay]

That looks like what 1/3 of my neutrodyne radio might look like if you removed the other 2/3! I think yours is from the very early (first half) of the 1920s, or possibly even a little earlier. If earlier, it predates the first-ever commercial radio station broadcast! Very cool find; keep it intact!

[electronjohn]

My vote is for homebrew as well...or at least some rudmentary form of a kit. Neat find!

[Bob E.]

It may be an equivalent tube, but I think genuine WD-11's have longer pins.


--Bob

[Aage]

Definitely a homebrew. Although I have a considerable herd of old radios, I could never bring myself to invest in a "Primitive" style radio such as that one.

In fact, I've divested myself of two of the three I had. The last one stays because although it's a primitive, it's a later model, that at least has some grace in the construction.

[Fisherdude]

It's a keeper, Tim!

[leadlike]

Yep, the short pinned wd-11s were popular in homebrew kits at that time. Check the inside of the wooden lid-I've found a few log charts faintly scrawled in pencil before. Great find!

[Sandy G]

Yeah, I'd vote for homebrew...An' that Tooob is VERY valuable !

[Reece]

It's a piece of radio history and ought to just have its face washed a little and preserved the way it is. It may not look like much, but sets like these are beautiful to me because of what they represent. Some kid saved up to get the parts and built this somewhere almost ninety years ago and climbed on the roof and up in a tree to string his antenna, and then listened to voices and music out of the air, for the first time. It was magic to him and his family, and it still is to me.

Reece

[jetblack]

That's a rare bit of history. Don't junk it. Can you do a continuity check?

[toxcrusadr]

Well said Reece.

[radiotvnut]

A little OT; but, does anyone remember the PBS documentary "Empire of the Air" that came out in the early '90's. It may still be available on DVD. There's a lot of good information on that film about the early days of radio.