Unusual Design Radios

Since we have never been interested in the "cheap" Novelty area of radio collecting, we will just show some of the unusual design radios that we have acquired over the years.  

This style radio is known as a "Grand Piano" radio and was manufactured by General Radio & Television.  The model number is 534 and was made in the early 40's as best we can see.  This was a 5-tube radio, works well and sounds good.  The normal way that it is played is by lifting the top and if you look hard, you can see a wood stick on the inside of the right hand side of the radio which props the top up so the sound can come out.  This one was stained a mahogany color but we also have one that is blonde in color.  

This is the famous Westinghouse "Refrigerator" radio which was made at the end of WWII in 1945.  This radio was actually made as a promotion to sell more Westinghouse refrigerators because if you purchased a new refrigerator, they would give you one of these little radios.  The radios shown are actually two different units, but have the same color.  The one on the left is in better condition paint wise than the one on the right, but both are in original condition.  Many people who restore radios, repaint these to get rid of the paint chips.  This little radio sounds a lot bigger than it is and is a full powered set, but built small to be used perhaps in a kitchen.

06/17/00