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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
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11th Jun 2018, 10:58 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
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...well I THINK it's a radio
Hi all.
I saw this in a customers house today. He was kind enough to let me take a couple of photos and allow me to post them with the hope of an identification. I didn't get to see the back or inside, but the owner says there are four valves in there. He and I think it's a very early radio. I'm not entirely convinced though. He also said someone had dated it to 1915(!) if this is true could it be one of those things for listening for the enemy digging tunnels via ground microphones? It would seem a bit ornate for that though. The other thing I thought of was one of those "medical" electric machines, that purported to cure everything early last century. The precious little I know about valve radios doesn't extend to anything this early. Thanks
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11th Jun 2018, 11:32 pm | #2 |
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
My knowledge of radios of that vintage is a bit patchy - but there's something about it - which to me - says "Eddystone".
Al. |
12th Jun 2018, 12:09 am | #3 |
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Or even an early Cossor.
Al. |
12th Jun 2018, 7:38 am | #4 |
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Likewise, no expert, but I've certainly seen Cossors that look similar to my untutored eye.
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12th Jun 2018, 7:52 am | #5 |
Dekatron
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Looks like a radio to me. I don't have that model but I do have another 3 tuner radio. They are difficult things to tune.
https://youtu.be/9pBrLPaI78k Peter |
12th Jun 2018, 8:11 am | #6 |
Heptode
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
The set in question here is similar to one I've got (which is a radio built from a kit) and like Peter's I think dates from ~1925.
Andy |
12th Jun 2018, 5:52 pm | #7 |
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
It looks similar to a Cossor radio which I have. The lid lifts up on mine to get at the grid bias battery and valves. Fred Ward G2CVV used to assemble these for a relation to sell in their shop.
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12th Jun 2018, 6:52 pm | #8 |
Octode
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Looks like a kit set from the late 20's very early 30's Don't think its a Cossor though I have a couple of Cossors from that era and they are very symmetrical in apperance.
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12th Jun 2018, 6:59 pm | #9 |
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Well I think I have examples or pictures of all the Cossors with lift up lids.
http://www.cossor.co.uk/the-early-kit-sets If anyone knows any I have missed I would love to hear from you Cheers Mike T
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12th Jun 2018, 9:30 pm | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Gloucestershire, UK.
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Hello,
It is most probably a homebuilt wireless set from the late 1920s or early 1930s. With three tuning controls it probably has at least one HF stage. A picture of the insides would probably help to date it. Yours, Richard |
12th Jun 2018, 10:01 pm | #11 |
Dekatron
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
That's a proper radio. Agree with the late 20's date home build. Job lot of knobs might mean one is for reaction?
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13th Jun 2018, 2:56 pm | #12 |
Dekatron
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Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK.
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Hi Tim, as has been said, a pig to tune but should be an easy restoration.
An oscillator can make initial tuning easier. Ed |
19th Jun 2018, 5:36 pm | #13 |
Octode
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Yes, again, most likely home built, as no engravings/markings on the panel. Looks like a standard mid 20's TRF. A look inside would be helpful. Later 20's sets often had a screen grid valve in the first stage, often mounted horizontally and with five connections, possibly with a top cap. Earlier 20's sets tended to have peep holes sos you could see how bright the valves were when adjusting the filament, tapped coils and in most cases not so many valves - this has either has 2 HF Detector AF, or HF/Detector/2 AF. Not very valuable but really nice to have. Often AF transformers go o/c but replacements can be found fairly easily. Clean all connections carefully. Probably has two headphone jacks so you can cut out an AF stage thereby saving battery life and reducing volume on a local statiojn.
Tony Last edited by greenstar; 19th Jun 2018 at 5:42 pm. |
20th Jun 2018, 8:28 am | #14 |
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Perhaps it is made from a kit - Scott-Taggart ? Looks like it would be nice woodwork after a bit of fettling, anyway.
Tony. |
20th Jun 2018, 7:07 pm | #15 |
Heptode
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Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio
Even the twin tuned commercial sets, common up to 1929, had either scales designed for pencil marks, or a table to fill in. Often the reaction setting wasn't marked as that was battery condition dependant and also sometimes the "volume control". Then when a station was first tuned (tricky!) the marks or entries made and easy to tune another day.
There were sets before broadcast started in 1921, used to listen to time signals and commercial Morse. Mostly kits, even from before 1914. A photo of insides will reveal if TRF or superhet. There ARE some superhets from 1926. It's unlikely to be before 1925 as the earlier sets tended to have exposed valves. They were bright emitters so doubled as room lighting! It's certainly a 1925 to 1932 style case and controls. Though that style was mostly kits after 1928. |