Pics from my Antique & Vintage Radio Show - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Bob E. · #1 03-02-2009, 07:36 PM

I finally had a few minutes to re-size my photos of some of the "stars" of my Antique & Vintage Radio Show that was held at my store in Santa Clara on Feb. 21. It isn't everything that was there, it was pretty hectic most of the day! I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the California Historical Radio Society for bringing out a few choice (and rare!) old-timers, and to Ben Koning for bringing his Echophone TRF rig (that was made locally, in Sunnyvale, CA) and his DVD's that chronicle this forgotten aspect of Silicon Valley in the "Pre-Silicon" days.

Pic. 1 - Right in the center is my dad's 1924 Atwater Kent Model 20, playing through a Model L horn speaker. I had only gotten it running the night before! Behind is an unrestored RCA Radiola 17 (1927) and speaker, and in the foreground are a couple of crystal sets and a lump of Galena.

Pic. 2 - Next to the Atwater Kent was my friend's Freshman Masterpiece (1925, I believe). Unfortunately, we were not able to get it working in time, but it was trying!

Pic. 3 - Most of the items brought by the CHRS, some locally (San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco) made radios from the 20's.

Pic. 4 - Most of my Hallicrafters! The ones on the table (except for the S-27 at far right) were working at some point during the day. Top shelf: S-38B, S-39 "Sky Ranger", S-38 with S-38E sitting on top. Second shelf: SX-111, Speaker, S-129. Third shelf: S-40B, SX-99 (hidden behind back row on table). Table, back row: S-85, S-40, S-72L portable. Table, front row: S-38B, S-53A, S-27 (ex-Navy 1943).

Pic. 5 - Three Zenith Transoceanics belonging to my friend. L - R, 8G005, H500 (playing on battery!) and Y600 in brown leather.

Pic. 6 - Some more of my friend's radios, I don't remember all of them! There is a Philco Cathedral (it started emitting smoke around noon, and was shut off), an Admiral TV with Bakelite cabinet, a green Crosley, etc.

Pic. 7 - A 1939 Philco with "Mystery Control", a very early wireless remote control! That's the remote sitting on the upper corner...you dial it like a telephone. It has a battery and one tube to transmit pulsed radio waves to the console, which will step up or down to pre-set stations. Magic in 1939!

Just above and behind is a cute little "lady's" radio, a Philco "Overnighter". It's an AM Radio and cosmetics travel case with mirror inside the lid! Battery or AC operation, from about 1956.

Pic. 8 - A couple of my console radios, an RCA with motorized tuning, and a Philco from 1938 with slanted front panel ("No Squat, No Stoop, No Squint") and "Cone-centric" tuning, with some cone-shaped pegs that could be moved around behind the dial for pre-setting station locations.

I didn't even get pictures of the Harman Kardon table, my friend brought lots of her copper-faced beauties, including an A-100, Harman Kardon's first product. I also had a table with phonographs including an RCA 45EY-3 45-player, a Meissner recording phono-radio portable combo, some 1937 Magnavox 78-players, and other stuff I'm starting to forget already! It was a busy day, but lots of fun!

--Bob

Sandy G · #2 03-02-2009, 09:17 PM

Homina ! Homina ! Homina ! (Best Ralph Kramden imitation here...)

Bob E. · #3 03-02-2009, 10:27 PM

I figgered you'd like the Hallicrafters display, Sandy. Actually, the family grew by one that day...a guy drove down from Sacramento to bring me a vintage ham rig he pulled out of the corner of his garage (so it's a little dirty/corroded). Another SX-111, a Globe (I think?) transmitter with outboard VFO and another little Hallicrafters speaker (R-47). I think those Halli's like to keep each other company, they keep congregating!

--Bob

spaceman · #4 03-03-2009, 12:17 AM

Those are all pretty cool, but I really like the look of some of those Hallicrafters.

Sandy G · #5 03-03-2009, 05:17 AM

I have an S-39 as well. Terry went thru it, it works, but its not really in the same league as the rest of my Hallis. The SX-73 really gives the R-3XXs a run for their money. I've never had the pleasure of fooling w/an SX-88, but I can't see how one of them could be any better than my '73.

Tony V · #6 03-03-2009, 12:30 PM

I'm glad you were able to show off your nice collection for everyone to enjoy. Thanks for sharing with us!
-Tony

Bob E. · #7 03-03-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony V

I'm glad you were able to show off your nice collection for everyone to enjoy.

My main goal was to hopefully inspire some newbies to take up the hobby. I had a big posterboard display on the wall about what to do when an old radio is found (DON'T PLUG IT IN!), with some glued-on examples of things to look out for (rotten AC cords, wax-paper capacitors, vacuum tubes that have "gone white" with air, etc) first. It also talked about the various restoration paths from reforming electrolytics, replacing capacitors, restuffing old capacitors, making safety upgrades, and the like. So far I've heard from one customer who decided to go whole hog on restoring his grandfather's radio, and has been back several times for advice and parts. There may be others that have had the "seed planted" in their minds that are just waiting for that vintage radio to catch their attention, and will join us in the future...I hope!

--Bob

Sandy G · #8 03-03-2009, 06:44 PM

Yes, you should be QUITE proud...That's an EXCELLENT collection. And trying to bring others into this noblest of hobbies...Good for you !

AUdubon5425 · #9 03-03-2009, 08:10 PM

That's great that you're trying to spark interest among the young people. I'm 33 and I don't know anyone younger than me who's even remotely interested in anything larger than an Ipod. They also can't grasp that a 15 watt amp can sound better than a "600 watt" modern job, but I digress...

I was talking with a collector at the Orange hamfest who said that this was a great time to be getting into the hobby because "most of the collectors are dying off - look around you." He may have a point - at approximately 50 years old, he was one of the youngest people in the hall.

Hemingray · #10 03-03-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUdubon5425

That's great that you're trying to spark interest among the young people. I'm 33 and I don't know anyone younger than me who's even remotely interested in anything larger than an Ipod. They also can't grasp that a 15 watt amp can sound better than a "600 watt" modern job, but I digress...

I was talking with a collector at the Orange hamfest who said that this was a great time to be getting into the hobby because "most of the collectors are dying off - look around you." He may have a point - at approximately 50 years old, he was one of the youngest people in the hall.

I'm 25 and had been into vintage electronics since highschool

Tapehead47 · #11 03-03-2009, 08:48 PM

That is absolute class, BobE. Thanks for sharing. Someday I'd love to own one, any one!