An NOS 1940 Airline radio

[decojoe67]

Here's a rare find these days. An NOS radio from 1940. This Airline (made by Montgomery Wards) model 04BR-513A appears to have never been used. The supplied station tags have never even been inserted into the pushbuttons. It has all the cardboard inserts in the original box as well as paperwork and tags. The chassis had all out of spec components replaced to play as new as it looks. Items like this were often gifts whereas the recipient had no immediate use for it. As was how the old-timers were, it was often carefully placed on a shelf, maybe to given to someone later, in the closet, only to unearthed decades later. The case shines like it was freshly polished.

[Electronic M]

That's very cool. That's a piece that if you ever part with it should go to a museum or be in a period film.

The closest I've come was a late 50s NOS Westinghouse and my 40s Emerson Catlin that has its original box but none of the packing material or literature...

[dishdude]

Wow, that is a really cool find.

[vortalexfan]

It looks like a Belmont made unit...

Very nice indeed!

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

It looks like a Belmont made unit...

Very nice indeed!

Thank you all for the comments. I've known this seller for years now, yet have never asked him where he finds these NOS sets. 90% of his offerings have been like this. This is actually one of his last offerings as he's retiring.
Yes, this set was made by Belmont for Montgomery Ward. I honestly don't recall much info about Blemont. I have to look it up again. As with MW and Sears radios, they didn't fool around with who they used as suppliers. Where one might think they offered 2nd rate sets, just the opposite is true.

[electronjohn]

Wow...what a find!

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by electronjohn

Wow...what a find!

Thanks John. I so want to ask my friend where he found it, but I learned from the past that collectors often don't want to reveal their sources.

[bgadow]

An incredible find. It would be worthwhile to make good copies of all the literature. I've worked on some Belmont-built Airlines and found them to be decent sets. I think I'm correct: after WW2 Raytheon bought them so as to have a manufacturing arm to enter the TV business.

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by bgadow

An incredible find. It would be worthwhile to make good copies of all the literature. I've worked on some Belmont-built Airlines and found them to be decent sets. I think I'm correct: after WW2 Raytheon bought them so as to have a manufacturing arm to enter the TV business.

Thank you. I've been procrastinating getting a scanner printer for years, but it is a great thing to have in this hobby.
Belmont did make TV's in 1947, but by 1948 the were absorbed by Raytheon. The Raytheon-Belmont name for TV's lasted to about 1950, then the Belmont named seemed to be dropped.
This Airline performs like a good AA5 set. Because the chassis was fully restored, it's sensitive with crisp clear audio. I like how the entire dial glows by the use of a diffusing sheet in front of the bulb. Some of these have a large pointer showing in front of the dial graphics. I like this version with it only showing in the narrow window. A little production change during the run.