Question on Radio Tubes

[Bob E.]

OK, Keith (and anyone else that is interested!): Here are a few of my older or more-unusual tube boxes (most have tubes inside to match...).

The first pic. has some I got from eBay recently, I think they are mid-late 30's, early 40's. The first one, "Concert Master" is clearly a re-box job, I think the tube itself was made by RCA, Concert Master just high-graded them, stuck on a fancy embossed foil sticker and put them in a colorful box (that was starting to look out-of-date with a picture of a globe tube on the other side, see pics 2, 3 &4). I haven't opened the others, but I'm pretty sure they were all re-boxer brands as well (I don't think Western Auto made tubes! See the "Wizard" box...).

In pic. 5, the CeCo and "OK" boxes are probably from the early 30's, the others are later, like 40's, I believe.

Pic. 6 has some early RCA pre-globe tubes, and the "Airline" was for Montgomery Ward's house brand, just like your "Silvertone" were Sears' house brand. The Atlantic box has a labeled RCA globe tube in it wrapped in corrugated paper, and I believe it is original, just another re-box job.

Pic. 7 has the way-cool Arcturus observatory box, with a blue-glass globe tube inside (not all Arcturus tubes were blue, but the ones that are sure are pretty!). The Westinghouse is unusual, it's a Canadian Westinghouse, and does not have the same artwork as US Westinghouse, in fact, it looks like an RCA box, and calls the tube a "Radiotron", like US RCA! US Westinghouse called their brand of tubes "Reliatron". Rogers and Majestic were the same company at one time (I believe, anyway Majestic was started by Rogers, and I think both used the term "Mighty Monarch of the Air" at times, however this Rogers did not).

Pic. 8 has some "Nipper" boxes, but note they are not "RCA"... they are "RCA VICTOR"...different division, I guess. Maybe the phono division? Also, the Cunningham box is there to haunt Nipper, RCA had some real legal wrangles with Cunningham (which Cunningham eventually lost, at least twice!). It has the court-ordered "Licensed by RCA" in small print on it...

Pic. 9 are some old tubes I have without boxes, the second one is a DeForest "Audion", and the first and last ones are brass-base unknown models (the last one is GE, but unknown model number...).

Hope these are interesting to some folks!

--Bob

[vendo81]

Great set of tube boxes and tubes Bob!
That concert master is unbelievable. A real work of art They really put detail into it on all sides. I really like the Arcturus box! That blue observatory is really nice! I think all the boxes are great but mostly the RCA (his master's voice), the wizard and I really like the Majestic. I used to have a console Majestic radio that I gave to my brother that had "Mighty Monarch of the Air" on the speaker. It's a great sounding radio. I think it had a bird with spread wings on the glass dial and several bands. I haven't seen it in a few years as he lives in a different state. That Cunningham box has their "C" symbol that is etched on the top of one of my early tubes, a C-11. I found out it is the same as my RCA WD11's and was probably made by RCA. After looking though the photo's several times I find I like them all! Great collection and infomation you provided for each!..