Best looking vintage radio you have ever seen or owned??

[G6Tanuki]

They do have a distinctly-Bauhaus aesthetic about them - though I suspect the original stylist would have vehemently denied any possible connection given the political status of the Bauhaus at the time!

[Boater Sam]

My vote, a prewar Barker 88. A cheaper set to sell from stores but with interesting veneers, distinctive knobs, tuning eye, proper size i.e. big.
Big sound too from the push-pull output and decent size loudspeaker.
Has it ever been established who made them?

[crackle]

Originally Posted by Panrock

For me, it's probably my 'Odeonesque' Defiant MSH938AC from 1938 with motor tuning, AFC, magic eye and television sound.

This gets my vote as a very nice looking radio, see post #19

Mike

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Boater Sam

My vote, a prewar Barker 88. A cheaper set to sell from stores but with interesting veneers, distinctive knobs, tuning eye, proper size i.e. big.
Big sound too from the push-pull output and decent size loudspeaker.
Has it ever been established who made them?

I've got one of the last post-WWII Barker-88s here - B7G/B9A valves except for the octal rectifier and magic-eye..

I don't know who made them but they're what I'd call an "all furs and no knickers" radio - looks big and impressive but when you look inside you find the underlying circuit and construction is very much pared-to-the-lowest-possible-cost.

[peter_scott]

Sucker for the avant garde from the 20s and 30s my vote goes for this Telefunken.

Peter

[HamishBoxer]

KB 283 Rare as they come and possibly the only example in the UK.Used on the Queen Elizabeth ?

Will send another rarity to the group when I get a photo.

[Billie the Boss]

One word nukeybrown.
WOW.

[HamishBoxer]

Yes,it is mint and won Concours De Elegance in 1992.

Nope,I cannot take credit for the restoration this time.

Howard Griffiths,God rest Him did this. My credit way back was for the photos I took for Radiophile.

[stitch1]

It would be easier to pick my favorite child and it depends on so many things but the Bush on the right seems to be the most admired that I have and the Philips to the left is aesthetically one of my favorites.

John

[JoshWard]

Throughout my time in this hobby I have seldom seen any US produced radios I would allow in the house. However this range of Sparton sets I would give most of my limbs to own. I don't own any, I never will be able to afford one, but they are stunning pieces of design by Walter Dorwin Teague. I do own a 1990s replica of the Bluebird (second picture) but it's not the same... Picture taken from the internet. From left to right Sparton 558, Bluebird, 557. The main one is a Sparton Nocturne.

[matthewhouse]

Not sure about best looking but interesting to look at all the same. Large and simple I think it is worth a mention. It has only 2 controls, on/off/volume and a selector switch to select one of 4 preset FM stations (preset adjustments inside the cover). I don't know of any others of this model to exist, I have been unable to find any information on it either. Coomber FMQ.

[JoshWard]

Been having a think about the sets I actually own. I am really struggling to narrow it down, which probably explains why I own so many radios...I could post more but I will restrict myself to the five images the forum software allows.

1) Iberic Chantilly. Whilst I love the slightly more brash Art Deco of the Sparton range this pared down style is just as nice. I have owned it for years, not even fired it up yet, just love looking at it...

2) Marconi T37DA. A very quirky looking set. Spent several years looking for a good example and have owned two others in the process. I'm not sure it's really that beautiful but I still love the shape if that makes sense...

3) McMichael AC Superhet. Any 1930s speaker grilles are usually a hit with me...

4) Murphy A192. Designed by David Ogle of TR82 fame. Very simple but beautiful.

5) Philips 371A. Just look at it

[Station X]

That Marconi set reminds me of a Gibson Girl emergency transmitter.

[Radioski]

For me its a black and chrome Ekco A22 (not that I've found an affordable one yet), I do like AD65's and AC85's also.

[Graham G3ZVT]

DAC90A. Not because it has become a popular set with collectors, it's because it was the set we listened to children's hour on at boarding school when I was 7.

[Graham G3ZVT]

Originally Posted by Billie the Boss

One word nukeybrown.
WOW.

A little further North...

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...pictureid=3842

[MurphyNut]

During the 1930's and 40's Murphy Radio had notable designers of the day (R D Russell and Eden Minns) creating some very noteworthy cabinets.
My favorite is the A38C, it's just so pleasing to the eye and it sounds good too!

[Nukeybrown]

Originally Posted by Billie the Boss

One word nukeybrown.
WOW.

Thanks billy. Funny thats the same word i used.

[stevehertz]

It's interesting and amazing to see the sets that people think are their best looking ones. I expected to see lots of stylish, 30s art deco sets, but it seems people have an affinity to all kinds of sets; early ones, late ones, valve sets, transistor sets and some that others may even refer to as plain ugly! But I guess that's all part of what we love about our hobby, the individuality of these sets and the people that collect them. Long may it remain that way.

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by stevehertz

It's interesting and amazing to see the sets that people think are their best looking ones.

Isn't it just! Does seem that for quite a proportion of us here, as for many people when it comes to music, time and place and association are what inspire lasting devotion to a radio. As far as I can tell, how I feel towards a particular set doesn't affect, or doesn't much affect, my impression of its visual qualities or lack of them. This one, for instance, a Proton 300 from 1982, is something of a household favourite through being, to my ears (I'd love to see the results of Mark Hennessy putting one through his objective tests), the best sounding self-contained radio I've heard. It's also arguably the ugliest I've seen: its nickname "Brezhnev's microwave" seems well earned.

Paul