Telefunken-can you identify?

[funken]

Hi folks!
Perhaps someone can help me out here.
Purchased this set. I cannot identify it. I've attached front and back photos.

Thanks!
Funken


On the back it readsTelefunken Superheterodyne D668 W K trop.Made in Western Germany.There is a number on the frame 512137 fabr-nr.

[myrgatroyd]

Hi,

congratulation! A sweet little thing. Is it still working?

This is an export model. Can you tell me the fm frequency range? Perhaps "trop" is the abbrivation for "Tropen", this would mean the tropic area.
Remembers me of the little "Jubilate" they made in 58/59.
If i had a detail photo of the back panel, I could perhaps tell more.

Yours
Alex

[funken]

Hi Alex!

I just purchased this set off Ebay.
I have three Telefunken sets. Two Gavottes and one Opus.

The features that confuses me is the split grill across the magic eye and the markings on the back panel.

I'm not sure what the WK or Trop indicates.

I should receive this set torwards the end of this week.

Funken

[myrgatroyd]

Hi.

you seem to be a fan of telefunken. I had a Kurier 52, till it burnt some resistors while playing back a speech of our minister of hassia. Think that thing had a different political opinion. Thats long ago. I also used it for listening to Glenn Miller....
To your set: You are right, the split grill and the cover of the magic eye are outstanding. This is the frame for a tube like EM 85, mounted is a "magic band". But also your dial is different from the european layout. Again, this set looks a little bit like the Jubilate made in 58/59. This thing had also a grill mounted in front of the soundboard, but that was not splitted.
Yes, this is an export model. Trop means for use in tropical areas. I think the capacitators and the frequency range in fm are different from the european sets. The caps should work in higher temperatures and they also should be better isolated against humidity. WK.. hmm... just guessing. The first letter in those notations often meant if the radio could be used for alternate current (Wechselstrom), then W or demodulated current (Gleichstrom), then G. GW means a radio without a transformer or rectifier, this could be used for both kinds of current.
Telefunken seems to have tuned the shortwave band, in German Kurzwelle.
W= alternate current
K=Kurzwelle
number: model
Trop: For export in tropical countries.
At trop I am sure, WK is guessed by the style radios were typified in those days in Germany.

Your baby is really seldom. Congratulations! Hope it will make the wide way without damage. From which country you got it?

Yours
Alex

[funken]

Thanks Alex!!!
Great information!
This set belonged to a person in Crossville, Tennessee USA.
It would be interesting to find out who the first owner was and what tropical area of the world they lived.

Yes I'm a Telefunken nut! These radios are what got me started collecting.

My grandfather owned a Gavotte 55. I remember as a child sitting with my grandfather at night listening to the BBC. The glow of the radio was capitivating.

I think Germany egineered and produced some of the best radios of it time.

Eventually I would like to own the all of the most popular table top Telelfunkens.


Thanks again for the information!

Funken!
St. Louis, Mo USA

[myrgatroyd]

At your service.
Glad you found that information helpful.

Yes, that old black magic of tube radios in a dimmed room. It hunts you in your dreams. In fact that old tube radios are my everyday stuff for the aura and the sound they have.
You were listening to bbc on shortwave or medium wave? If you are a shortwave listener, then your tropical baby perhaps has a surprise for you...
All Telefunken? Heaven!
From which decades? German radios did not get better through the years, their best time is around ´55 to ´58, some models to 59/60.
Actually I don´t have any Telefunken but the ruin of my Kurier and a `57 concertino in a Kuba console.

Greetings to St. Louis
Alex

[funken]

Hey guys!

Just received my Telefunken from an Ebayer.

Question. I believe this set had a 3 pronged European power cord.
Someone spliced what looks like the end of a two pronged extension cord.

The set does not power up. I tested the two prongs with my multi-tester. No reading, I tested where the splice is and got a reading.

Is there something I should know about converting an European set over so I can use American outlets.

Thanks!
Funken

[larryderouin]

50 vs 60Hz. Also voltages are usually higher. Most household Euro voltages are 220-240 range. Check the back for voltage requirements if it has them.