Dutch NSF radio

[DuncanLeece]

Dear all,
I would be very grateful for some help from Forum colleagues (particularly perhaps any Dutch friends) with my recent acquisition…..I believe it to be a Dutch NSF 4 radio from circa 1927. I am far from expert in such sets, so please forgive what may be some basic questions.
I purchased the set recently from the estate sale of a deceased elderly Dutch gent who had lived here in the north of Scotland for many years. He collected all kinds of antiques, unrelated to radios, and the sale attracted many general antiques dealers both in person and via internet. But I was delighted to get a few nice 1920s radio items, mostly German or Dutch, despite most of the lots being sold on-line.
There seemed little interest in the NSF set, perhaps due to its somewhat plain cabinet not attracting the anitiques dealers?
To my eyes, it is nicely built in all respects, and the plain oak cabinet with black-painted framework looks very original, with just a good waxing needed to feed the rather dry timber.
But on to my three questions.

First: Using the excellent on-line radiomuseum, I am pretty sure this is ‘version 2’ of the NSF 4, which seems unusual to me in having a set of valves requiring different heater voltages, all of which are supplied by a mains transformer. However, HT and I assume grid-bias are from battery. The two bundles of three battery wires are all colour-coded, but I would be hugely grateful if anyone familiar with these sets could tell me what colour does what? I could probably stab at a guess, but as I said, I am not that knowledgeable about this kind of set. I do have suitable high impedance speakers and a multi-voltage bench power supply.

Second: The front panel is aluminium, and has been painted satin black in the area visible through the oak aperture. But I am not convinced that paint is original as there is dark blue paint under the black, and the rear of the panel is a blue colour too. Were the front panels originally a very dark blue colour (satin or gloss?) or is satin black correct? I can see other sets on the internet, but the panel colour is a bit ambiguous in the photos, to my eyes.

Third: There is an intriguing stamp burned into the plywood cover underneath the set…..it says PERSONEEL which I understand to mean ‘staff’ or ‘employees’? I have seen on the internet that under Nazi occupation, Dutch families had domestic radio sets confiscated? I just have an inkling this may refer to that era, and perhaps explain the set’s survival?

It is an unusual set in Scotland, but maybe not in Holland? However, I like it and would love to know more about it.
Best wishes
Duncan

[paulsherwin]

It's in stunning condition.

[HamishBoxer]

The Nazis would have shot anyone with a radio during wartime, ditto as they did in France etc.
That set is something else and I would be very tempted to do no more than clean.

[DuncanLeece]

Thanks Paul, I am glad you like it, and yes Hamish, I agree, and plan to keep it as original as possible.

best wishes
Duncan

[neutronic]

Personeel probably means that it is sold to own employees.
Sold for discount price and the obligation to give feedback about quality problems.
A Dutch publication tells that the production lasted from 1927 till 1931.
Total production 35000
And changed in this period from battery feed to half battery half AC and ended as full AC feed.
Due to newer valves.
Perhaps You can ask the Dutch antique radio forum : www.nfor.nl for technical questions
(Joining by the tap ¨registreren¨)

Jard N.

Pictures of the old NSF factory in Hilversum :http://www.philipsradios.nl/NSFhome.htm
(Text in Dutch)

[Maarten]

PERSONEEL means that it was sold through the staff shop (overproduction, prototypes, etc. were sold there alongside a quotum of normal goods). I didn't know they already did it that way in the early days, I thought of that as a typical Philips thing (NSF was being transferred to philips ownership during the production of this model).

Apparently, the NSF 4 was produced in 8 basic versions, see http://www.oldradios.nl/Publicaties%...ni%202010).pdf

[DuncanLeece]

Thanks Jard and Maarten for your interesting replies and useful links.
best wishes
Duncan