Interesting Find in A Radio

[Jeffhs]

This radio does in fact have FM (the tuning scale for that band is directly below the AM one on the dial). I don't know how old this one is, but since it has the 88-108 MHz FM band it's probably no older than 1947-48.

The gold tuning dial is a nice touch. I don't know whether this radio was high-end in its time, but the dial alone makes it look the part. If it has six tubes or more, then it is in fact a high-end table model. The sixth tube is often an RF amplifier stage, and any tubes after it are often refinements to the signal circuits; extra IF stages, limiter, etc. The radio could also have push-pull audio output, or at very least tone and loudness compensation circuitry in the audio stages, with a single high-power tube (such as a 35C5/50C5/50L6, etc.) as the output stage. Zenith (and possibly other manufacturers) used these compensation systems in their better table radios of the '50s, so it wouldn't surprise me in the least if your set has one or more such networks in its audio stages as well.

Regardless of the type of insects you found in your radio, it's a good thing you got the nest out of there. As others have said, these things can be annoying--and I'll add something of my own: dangerous, if they are of the stinging variety. Even if they don't or cannot sting, it can still be unnerving to hear them scratching around inside the cabinet.

Good luck. Like Zeniths and other well-known radios, yours will work very well once restored. They don't make them like that anymore.