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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only.

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Old 11th Jun 2018, 10:58 pm   #1
Tim
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Default ...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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Old 11th Jun 2018, 11:32 pm   #2
Skywave
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Default 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.
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Old 12th Jun 2018, 12:09 am   #3
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Default Re: ...well I THINK it's a radio

Or even an early Cossor.

Al.
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Old 12th Jun 2018, 7:38 am   #4
Dave Moll
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Default 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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Old 12th Jun 2018, 7:52 am   #5
peter_scott
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Default 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

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Old 12th Jun 2018, 8:11 am   #6
radioman
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Default 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.

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Old 12th Jun 2018, 5:52 pm   #7
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Default 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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Old 12th Jun 2018, 6:52 pm   #8
jay_oldstuff
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Default 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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Old 12th Jun 2018, 6:59 pm   #9
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Default 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

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Old 12th Jun 2018, 9:30 pm   #10
Mr Moose
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Default 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
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Old 12th Jun 2018, 10:01 pm   #11
PJL
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Default 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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Old 13th Jun 2018, 2:56 pm   #12
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Default 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
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Old 19th Jun 2018, 5:36 pm   #13
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Default 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

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Old 20th Jun 2018, 8:28 am   #14
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Default 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.
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Old 20th Jun 2018, 7:07 pm   #15
Mike. Watterson
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Default 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.
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