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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 11:32 am   #1
Tractionist
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Default The 'unsung' designers?

There was a new thread recently on the forum concerning radio cabinet manufacturers - and it got me thinking about the many ‘unsung’ cabinet [and case*] designers too?

[* I don’t suppose that Bakelite, Catalin, Arbolite, Plastic and pressed steel would comprise a ‘cabinet’ in the true sense of the word!].

Many original purchasers [and latter day Radiophiles too] must have been attracted to a set simply because of its aesthetics. I mean: ‘All American Fives’ use basically the same circuitry and doubtless exhibit similar performance - so why choose one particular model from a choice of over a hundred manufacturers eh?

We all know about certain designers [R. D. Russell, Wells Coates, Ogle and Raymond Loewe etc.] ..... and we know about the ‘influences’ and inspiration too [Tombstones, Mayan Temples, Deco, Clocks, Cars, ’Machine Age’ etc. but who were the many unsung heroines and heroes that designed the models which many of us here are so familiar e.g. DAC90/90a’s, V5a’s/7’s, Philco 444’s, Bush VHF 94’s, the classic Super Inductances i.e. ‘The Ovalitiney’ etc. etc. ?
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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 11:58 am   #2
Edward Huggins
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Well, I was one of those working for Pye over the period from 1959 to 1969. There were lot of constraints of course with regard to production costs. Most chassis were of a similar size and often there was room in the cabinet for a larger speaker than was actually used. When stereo radiograms came out I tried to design in a simple vented enclosure at each end of the long cabinet - but the extra wood and assembly costs soon scrapped this. We always needed to make sure the graphics of the tuning dial make the scale look longer than it actually was. Pye were actually quite receptive to the use of good "Industrial Designers" such as Robin Day and Alan Bednall who was my Mentor, God Bless Him.
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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 12:24 pm   #3
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

I think there needs to be a differentiation between designing and styling in the answer to this question.

"Style" to me implies focus on non-performance-enhancing fripperies whose intent is to catch the eye, whereas Design is a matter of engineering, producing something that's functional and cost-effective to manufacture.

[Both, applied properly, can help extract money from potential purchasers, which after all is what the radio-manufacturing business really comes down to: they're there to make money, and radios are the mechanism.]

My favourite piece of design is the "Saucepan special radio" - where the 'designer' adapted something already in existence and available cheaply to produce a radio that was easy to produce and appropriate-to-the-conditions.

No 'styling' at all, just "Form following function" in its most elegant!
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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 12:43 pm   #4
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

I know this doesn't quite fit your criteria of "true cabinets" but not all designers get it right or given, maybe, enough budget to produce a good 'cabinet'.

I have several PYE circa 1969 transistor radios, all designed by Kenneth G Sadler. The most 'stylish' being the Pye Mistral 1403 (aka Boots VHF).

The design of the plastic case obviously taking advantage of 'modern' injection moulding and the resultant futuristic styling but NOT a lot paid to durability.
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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 1:09 pm   #5
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Mmmmm ..... some thought-provoking and intriguing responses already. Cost was obviously a factor - and one which conflicted with the aims of staying in business/maximising profit and/conversely coping with [as then] an immense amount of competition. Then there was the matter[s] of 'branding' and 'house style' .....

Form and function are interesting issues too. Many American radio sets [and TV's] featured pressed steel cases - cheap, durable, could be any colour or plating ..... and resisted burning and ...... termites too!

Edward - who designed the Pye 'Rising Suns' ?
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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 1:24 pm   #6
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Must mention, McMichael 808, 135 and 137. Not the finest but certainly designed.
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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 1:54 pm   #7
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Then there was the Saucepan Special radio by Ever Ready. Design criteria? Necessity!

Below extract & photo is from the Ever Ready History website:

http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Muse.../EverReady.htm

"One notable early receiver was the 'J' Type or "Saucepan Special" which was launched in September 1949. Laurence Orchard was one of the company's senior executives. In 1948 he was on a visit to Ever Ready's South African subsidiary, BEREC ( the British Ever Ready Export Company)"

"While there he was approached by the man in charge of broadcasting in Nyasaland and Rhodesia. He wondered if Ever Ready could produce a tropicalised dry-battery radio that could sell for £5, as this was all that many members of the rural community could afford. The company rose to the challenge and developed a small 4 valve shortwave receiver that was powered by a B136 battery.

One problem was to find a cheap housing for the receiver. This was cleverly solved by using a blue-sprayed metal case that was made by the British Aluminium saucepan factory. It was basically a 10inch saucepan with the handle removed and a hole punched in the bottom for the loudspeaker. The radio sat on the B136 battery, which was too big to fit inside. The radio was sold in many parts of the world, including Malasia, and almost a quarter of a million were produced"
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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 1:54 pm   #8
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Whoever designed the ITT SL75 cassette/radio and the family of related radios did a good job. They were workmanlike, easy to use and to the eyes of the period they looked good too. The wood effect was obviously fake, but not offensively so. They weren't ostentatious. They got the balance pretty much right and they set their own style.

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Old 22nd Oct 2017, 2:18 pm   #9
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Mmmmm 'Form and/or versus function' eh?

I wonder who designed the Phillips V5/V7's eh? Not bad to look at, and a pretty good performer ........ but the nameless moron forgot the chassis and also devised a diabolical tuning drive to boot! (Some nicely designed [and styled] sets are a joy to work on ..... but the Phillips V5/7's are not!).

Who designed/styled the KB 'Toasters' ?
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 4:17 pm   #10
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by camtechman View Post
I have several PYE circa 1969 transistor radios, all designed by Kenneth G Sadler. The most 'stylish' being the Pye Mistral 1403 (aka Boots VHF).
He is still alive, I believe. I e-Mailed him at his workplace in Horsham some years ago and got a nice reply from him. Which other sets did he design? I have not seen another radio with the "Designed by Kenneth G Saddler" printed on it.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 4:56 pm   #11
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tractionist View Post
but who were the many unsung heroines and heroes that designed the models which many of us here are so familiar e.g. DAC90/90a’s, V5a’s/7’s, Philco 444’s, Bush VHF 94’s, the classic Super Inductances i.e. ‘The Ovalitiney’ etc. etc. ?
The DAC90/90A cabinet was designed by Frank Middleditch according to this site: http://www.bushradio.co.uk/bush4649.html

Bush seem to have got the balance between form and function right in most of their designs. I’ve never seen a Bush model yet which had the components strewn crazily all over the chassis as and where they would fit. I’d be interested to hear who designed their DAC10 and TV22 also.

Does anyone know who designed the Ferranti Nova/145? This is also one of my favourite designs – not so easy to service though!

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Old 25th Oct 2017, 11:27 pm   #12
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Mach One

Whoops, In my post:

Quote:
I have several PYE circa 1969 transistor radios, all designed by Kenneth G Sadler. The most 'stylish' being the Pye Mistral 1403 (aka Boots VHF).

I made a mistake, it should have read: "I have several Pye circa 1969 transistor radios all in different colours; Blue, Brown & Black(aka Boots VHF) all designed by Kenneth G Sadler. The most 'stylish being the Mistral 1403 Brown".

I'm sure, somewhere in my collection I have a very stylish Tear Drop" shaped transistor radio by K.G. I'll try and find it and post a pic on here.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 12:00 am   #13
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

How about the HRO?

One heck of a jump in performance and very elegant from the mechanical engineering viewpoint.

Collins' S-line cabinet style got 'sincerely flattered' for many years.

CRM-R6A or AR8516L for sheer comms styling.

Eddystone's slide-rule scale cabinets?

Bang & Olufsen's Beomaster 5000 tuner (the original by that number) from 1967.


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Old 26th Oct 2017, 12:19 am   #14
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Some designers did get their credit. One of the most famous industrial designers for TV & radio cabinets & appliances in the USA was John Vassos. He designed the cabinet for RCA's ground breaking 621TS 1946 post war TV set which set the technology standard for all post war TV's worldwide. To look at Vassos's industrial designs (very art deco) search his name on google images, this link should do it. He became a household name in the USA.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=I...w=1658&bih=938
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 3:10 am   #15
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

There's Eric Marshall who designed the Ultra TR70, and probably the other Ultra transistor sets of the time, but I haven't been able to confirm this or find much information about him.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 4:56 am   #16
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

There is a little book called 'Radio' in a series called 'Design Icons'. It's shown here :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Radio-Appre.../dp/1571456171

I found a copy in a charity shop a few weeks back. It is totally non-technical, covering only the cabinet design and styling. But in many cases it does name the designer.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 9:31 am   #17
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

I wonder whether the Quad FM3 ever been surpassed for operational elegance. One assumes Peter Walker was behind the concept, but the chronology fits for John Collinson as well.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 9:32 am   #18
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

I think some of the comments here go back to the attitudes of the late 1940s where the profession of "Industrial Designer" was just about being recognised yet, sadly, in some areas mocked. I think if some Members knew of the breath of the Syllabus that needed to be covered to achieve the necessary qualifications, they would understand that this is far removed from being a "Stylist" - a very naiive term. The Profession embraces Engineering, Form, Function, Ergonomics and Aethestics. It has little to do with "Prettying Up"! Some of this has made really depressing reading for me and it shows that some attitudes have not changed.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 9:39 am   #19
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tractionist View Post
Mmmmm ..... some thought-provoking and intriguing responses already.

Edward - who designed the Pye 'Rising Suns' ?
I regret I really do not know. This of course goes back to the very late 1920s. It might have arisen from fretwork that was used on some Pye Intruments prototypes made before radio production started in earnest.

It might amuse Members to know that when Designs/Models were presented to C. O. Stanley (as was de rigeur) he would already have called in his Wife in to his office to cast an opinion. And what she said usually determined the outcome!
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 9:55 am   #20
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Default Re: The 'unsung' designers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by suebutcher View Post
There's Eric Marshall who designed the Ultra TR70, and probably the other Ultra transistor sets of the time, but I haven't been able to confirm this or find much information about him.
I think he was responsible too for the Ultra Bermuda TVs of the period, but a couple of better remembered products he designed are the Garrard 401 and Lab 80 turntables. The 401 was largely, but not entirely, a cosmetic update of the 301, which commands much higher prices as it has for at least thirty years: even so the 401 is a classic design in its own right.

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