|
Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
|
Thread Tools |
4th Apr 2019, 5:37 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oswestry, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 408
|
Ekco: Birth of the A22
"Hang on lads, I've got a great idea."
Wells Wintemute Coates, standing left, presents the design for what would become the Ekco A22; Eric Kirkham Cole seated right. BTW, whatever happened to interesting middle names? Regards, Richard |
4th Apr 2019, 5:44 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
The beholders all look very serious as if pondering whether they should be the one to say "Hmm, not my cup of tea if I'm being honest". Not my view I hasten to add, I like the round Ekco, but they do look less than excited about that 'frivolous' shaped Ekco wireless. That's how it seems to me anyway.
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |
4th Apr 2019, 6:03 pm | #3 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oswestry, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 408
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
I think that's in part due to the photo likely being staged, rather than it being a snap of the actual big reveal. As I understand it, Coates didn't actually design the cabinet for the A22, which was developed in-house, taking cues from the cabinet he did design, the AD65 - designed 1932, released 1934. One can imagine a shocked reaction when Coates presented his original idea, which was for a round radio that laid on its 'back', the whole cabinet rotated to tune the set. "But, old boy, you can't be serious."
Regards, Richard |
6th Apr 2019, 7:52 am | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Royal Berkshire, UK.
Posts: 470
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
Their expressions are indeed less than 'ding dong ol' boy. I say, what an absolute smasher!'
Some of the best known ideas have come from people with interesting names, Isambard Kingdom, anyone? Have always preferred the A22 to the other round sets, fortunate enough to own a brown/copper variant, though it needs restoring. I hope to achieve this in time for Christmas 2019. Richard, where did you find that photo? Mark
__________________
Slowly turning the 'to-do', into 'ta-dah' |
6th Apr 2019, 8:59 am | #5 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oswestry, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 408
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
Mark,
It's reprinted in a 1966 University of London PhD thesis on Wells Coates as architect and designer. From where the thesis author sourced it, I couldn't tell you, I'm afraid. Regards, Richard Last edited by YoungManGW; 6th Apr 2019 at 9:08 am. |
6th Apr 2019, 9:01 am | #6 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
As an aside, I never knew that the 'K' in EKCO stood for 'Kirkham', though my father owned an EKCO Radio many years ago- I don't recall the model no., being only about 7 when he sold it, but it had pre-set station buttons as well as manual tuning, and was battery powered, using a 120v HT Battery and a 2v Accumu;ator, plus possibly a 9v grid bias battery, though I'm not sure about the latter.
|
6th Apr 2019, 9:15 am | #7 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oswestry, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 408
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
Livewire, if it was of Bakelite, that battery-powered set with pre-set station buttons could well have been a PB507? Photo of sister set, sharing the same cabinet, attached.
Regards, Richard |
6th Apr 2019, 11:02 am | #8 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
It was almost 70 years ago, Richard, but AFAIK, Dad's EKCO was horizontal, not vertical. Unfortunately, though I have a few photos from my childhood days, none show the radio in question. My parents are long gone, too, so i have no way to find out what exact model the radio was. It was later replaced with a battery operated HMV, and two different models of Ever Ready Sky Queen, all of those long since gone, too.
|
6th Apr 2019, 11:15 am | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
Sounds like the "Dougal" set.
__________________
G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S |
6th Apr 2019, 11:50 am | #10 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oswestry, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 408
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
No presets on the AC86 'Hamish', Dougal!
Perhaps an A23? Regards, Richard |
6th Apr 2019, 11:52 am | #11 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
I missed that about the presets,need to pay more attention before typing.Oh,I missed the battery powered too!
Good set the A23,I have 2 of them.
__________________
G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S |
7th Apr 2019, 12:15 pm | #12 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
Richard, my Dad's radio could have been an A23, though my memory, which may be playing tricks, tells me the pre-set buttons were vertically arranged down thr RH side of the tuning scale.
|
7th Apr 2019, 12:48 pm | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
Are you sure it was battery? As the PB189 fits the description,except it is mains driven.
__________________
G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S |
7th Apr 2019, 1:26 pm | #14 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
|
Re: Ekco: Birth of the A22
It was certainly Battery operated as the house in which I lived as a child did not have an electricity supply.
|