Can Anyone Identify This Radio?

[SteveMack]

This is a picture of my Gran and Grandad from late 1920's. Can anyone tell me anything about the radio they are obviously so proud of. I think it may have been a wedding present. There are two photos, the original and one cleaned and colourised

[Silicon]

I am not an expert on dating radio receivers of this era but I was wondering if this was an American set.

Many UK radios made in the 1920s looked like laboratory equipment.

Do you know if your family travelled or worked for a shipping company?

I agree with the above and can't help - but I was wondering two things: What is the strange device to the left of the picture and what marvellous software did you use to clean it up?

[Gridiron]

The horn speaker looks to be an Amplion Junior (either AR37 or AR39).
To me the set looks to be either home made or locally made.
How did what looks like a 1940s or 50s radio scale come to be shown at the bottom of the set in the cleaned up version? Definitely not 1920s!
Mike.

[Silicon]

I thought that the colourised photo was derived from a negative.
The 'original' photo lacks a lot of detail and only something like artificial intelligence could transform it into the colourised image.

Notice how in the colourised image, the grandmothers eyes are looking directly at you but in the 'original' image they don't.

Either someone is being a bit 'naughty' or artificial intelligence has remarkable powers.

Originally Posted by Gridiron

The horn speaker looks to be an Amplion Junior (either AR37 or AR39).
To me the set looks to be either home made or locally made.
How did what looks like a 1940s or 50s radio scale come to be shown at the bottom of the set in the cleaned up version? Definitely not 1920s!
Mike.

I thought your 'radio scale' looked like a rheostat.

[SteveMack]

@Silicon I cant see it being American as my Gran and Grandad were very much Mancunians and did not travel much and were not so well off they could import anything expensive, especially at the age they are in the photo. They were born 1906 and 1908 respectively and were married in 1928. My Gran is wearing a wedding ring so my first thoughts are that this may be a wedding present. I have the original B/W photo and I originally posted it on a facebook group. A fellow member did the cleaning/colourising and I too am amazed at the result and have asked him what software he used but I haven’t had a reply yet.

@Gridiron I looked up the horn you mention and it does seem to tie in with the correct era. My Grandfather was by trade a French Polisher but I don’t think he had any electrical knowhow and in the photo he looks too young to have attempted anything such as a home made radio set at that age. Later in life I know he would repair things like pocket watches but nothing electronic I know of. The photo is genuine and definitely late 1920s although it could be that the colourising was done with AI.

@lesmw-sec that item on the table to the left has been the subject of some discussion. When I zoom in, to my mind I think it may be a multi plug socket, however others have suggested it maybe something to do with battery charging for the radio set.

[Graham G3ZVT]

The enhanced photo does wonders for your grandparents, but is a hindrance rather than a help in identifying the equipment because much of the added detail is a figment of the imagination of the person or machine doing the work. I too can make out a more modern glass radio scale where it's just a wooden drawer for storing accessories in the original.
I don't think anyone has mentioned here (or on the Facebook group) that there seems to be a document pinned to the wall with drawing pins, and I'm wondering if it's their ten-bob wireless licence that they were also proud to show off? Those were indeed different times!

[SteveMack]

Did you check out the B/W version

[Graham G3ZVT]

Originally Posted by SteveMack

Did you check out the B/W version

Yes, I've been studying them side-by-side.
On the Facebook thread you mentioned that at that stage in their lives your grandparents were nether wealthy or technically minded. If the idea of this being a wedding present is conjecture on your part, have you considered that the picture might have been taken at the home of a wireless enthusiast friend?
There seems to be a 3rd piece of kit behind your grandad's shoulder.

[Graham G3ZVT]

I think there has been a measure of artistic licence taken with the enhancement.
The lower third, which I think was a drawer or hinged flap that ran the full width of the cabinet, now looks like something inspired by a 1950s Grundig.

Identification may not be possible, because the set may have been home constructed and unique.

There seems to be a wire leading up to that area under question, so I am wondering if that 'knob' is no more than the LS jack? An interesting conundrum.

[Graham G3ZVT]

To my eyes the wire is going to a pair of headphones that the lady is wearing.

I'm going to eat my own words now, because looking at the enhanced picture I've suddenly realised that the left half is an open door, with three apertures that when closed correspond to the three small port-holes on the other side. That's not something I've seen before, but if there were three bright-emitter valves behind the port-holes it would make sense.

[Mr 1936]

What a fascinating B&W photo (And what a fascinating re-touch / re-create job on the colour one - I suspect AI may have had a hand in that).

The radio appears to have three "portholes" on the top right, which were used so you could see how bright the valve filaments were and tweak them individually with rheostats. Bright emitter valves glowed as brightly as light bulbs, but were obsolete by about 1925. I would therefore date the receiver as early thirties, i.e. 1922 to 1923

At that time, most people would have been using much simpler crystal sets (no valves) so the elaborate set shown is more the sort of thing that would have been bought or more likely home made by a wealthy enthusiast. This doesn't really square with the description of your relatives, so I too am inclined to think that it belonged to a friend or acquaintance. Even amateur photography wasn't universal in the late 1920's, maybe said radio enthusiast dabbled in film and cameras too ?

My only experience with bright emitters was a practical exam in Australia on an ancient 5kW tx. The examiner said "I want you to find the fault I've put on it" You could have seen the absence of light from two of the modulator valves from the other side of the street!

[m0cemdave]

As others have mentioned, the AI software has taken some liberties when enhancing the image, so it makes identifying the set more difficult.

Can you post a higher resolution scan of the original photo?

[Joe_Lorenz]

Well, receiving valves didn't glow as bright as modulator valves

I'd like to second Graham: My first thought was the lady is wearing a pair of headphones.

The wall mount outlet may be an antennae connector or earthing switch as well as a mains outlet.

Thanks for sharing that fascinating photo!

Joe

[SteveMack]

Wow, some great ideas there. Still a mystery but you've all come up with some interesting questions. I would agree that they would not have the knowledge to build a set and would not at their age have the wealth to buy one either. I have very little knowledge of the circles they mixed in who would be able to own such a piece of tech. Maybe one day the mystery will be solved. I was hoping that if the radio was identifiable it may have opened up some leads to investigate

[60136 Alcazar]

Difficult to see whether this set was inductance tuned by long slider or capacity tuned by rotary 'condenser'. Either way it is clear that it is fitted with 3 bright emitter valves, which would have been visible through the 3 circular windows, with at least two filament rheostats directly below. It was not uncommon to have a door or doors, so a 3 valve set of this ilk should date from 1923 to 1926. Attached is an image of a Britphone (commercially made) 4-valve receiver from 1923, although they also produced a 3-valver with single swing door in 1924, still available in 1925. In 1923 these retailed at £25 to £45 or so and consequently were luxury items; the 1924 set even with a local station cut-out had reduced to less than £14! Because of the cost, these sets could conceivably have soldiered on for some time, as replacing them was equally as expensive.
To my eye the queried set is a commercial one and not a homebrew.

[Graham G3ZVT]

That's pretty close Alcazar and will give the OP a real sense of what it looked like. You would think there would be a Britphone No 3A, but I couldn't find one.
I did find reference to a Britphone No 3 but it turned out to be an inexpensive crystal set.
Attached is an advert for a No 4
I see Britphone was the British Wireless Supply Co with an address in your home town.