Help identify this radio - - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

sparkzter · 14th Jul 2020, 11:36 pm

Hi all,

I seem to have fallen at the first hurdle on this project, as I can't identify it! Is anyone familiar with this manufacturer or set? It appears to have no marking inside however what I believe to be G P is shown in the logo at the centre of the scale plate. Any information on this set would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Garry

cathoderay57 · 15th Jul 2020, 8:33 am

A view of the rear of the chassis and a list of the valve numbers might help. If you have to remove valves to read the numbers be gentle in pulling them out - pull from the base, not the glass if possible. Do them one at a time so that you replace them into the correct socket. Cheers, Jerry

HamishBoxer · 15th Jul 2020, 11:13 am

Welcome to the forum! I have just looked through Pauls excellent database DVD and not a thing under GP, GE yes. Of course if it is all there, it should be an easy fix.

rontech · 15th Jul 2020, 11:35 am

Looks like mid 30's British judging by the station names.

Nickthedentist · 15th Jul 2020, 11:43 am

Yet the cabinet is very 1950s.

Maybe a “bitsa”?

Herald1360 · 15th Jul 2020, 11:59 am

Department store special? Couldn't find anything in RM from 1933-38.

sparkzter · 15th Jul 2020, 12:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathoderay57

A view of the rear of the chassis and a list of the valve numbers might help. If you have to remove valves to read the numbers be gentle in pulling them out - pull from the base, not the glass if possible. Do them one at a time so that you replace them into the correct socket. Cheers, Jerry

So far I've only gone as far as removing the old cracked rubber flex and popping a piece of 2 core in for testing. I popped the chassis out and include some additional back/bottom photos

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamishBoxer

Welcome to the forum! I have just looked through Paul's excellent database DVD and not a thing under GP, GE yes. Of course if it is all there, it should be an easy fix.

Yes, I've been scouring around for a few evenings trying to find the logo without success. This has been in the family as long as anyone can remember and appears to be largely original. The cord which attaches to the band indicator strip was snapped preventing it going up and down (left hand top from the front) but I have the pieces. Additionally there appears to be a 'spare' area on the top right (from the front) which either something is missing from or an additional optional part was not used.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rontech

Looks like mid 30's British judging by the station names.

Yes, I had come to the same conclusion, I just took a slightly better photo which shows all stations a bit more clearly

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

Yet the cabinet is very 1950's.

Maybe a “bitsa”?

Quite possibly!

Thanks all for your comments so far!

stitch1 · 15th Jul 2020, 2:00 pm

According to Set makers page 173
The tobacco company Godfrey Phillips Ltd commissioned KB to make 40,000 two valve 'Masterpiece' radios for them which they gave away when you'd smoked 500 packs of ten (assuming you lived that long). It's not this model but the GP could be Godfrey Phillips, perhaps getting their own cabinets made for commissioned chassis?

John

sparkzter · 15th Jul 2020, 2:10 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by stitch1

According to Setmakers page 173
The tobacco company Godfrey Phillips Ltd commissioned KB to make 40,000 two valve 'Masterpiece' radios for them which they gave away when you'd smoked 500 packs of ten (assuming you lived that long). Its not this model but the GP could be Godfrey Phillips, perhaps getting thier own cabinets made for commissioned chassis?

John

its a good shout!...just looked at the Godfrey Phillips logo and it doesn't seem to bear any resemblance to this one (they seem to use GPI - Godfrey Phillips India ltd)

60 oldjohn · 15th Jul 2020, 2:15 pm

I just wonder if it is a George Palmer set He used the names Muzzulphone, Ardiphone and Palmerphone, or George Potter was City These sets were from the 1920s. Did they produce sets later on in their lives?

John.

G6Tanuki · 15th Jul 2020, 2:36 pm

It looks to have octal valves - which would place it sometime very-late-1930s onwards.

The 'blank space' on the scale-plate would probably have been for a 'magic eye' tuning indicator.

Under-chassis it looks to have several replacement parts - the volume-control pot looks suspiciously clean and there are a few plastic-cased capacitors that look like 1960s Radiospares parts.

Would be interesting to loosen the clip on the big smoothing-electrolytic and ease it up a bit to see if there's any date printed on it.

I don't see an output-transformer or an HT smoothing-choke, but I do see what looks like two output-valves, and the metal-can valve behind the red-painted EBC33 could be a phase-splitter. Push-pull output-transformer mounted on the [energized] loudspeaker probably. Is that a small 4-pin or 5-pin paxolin socket I can see lurking behind one of the output-valves? That would be for speaker connection.

If I had to guess, I'd say it was possibly a just-pre-WWII-or-slightly-afterwards 'bitsa' made by a very small manufacturer - there were loads of these operations around, most had gone bust by the early-50s.

radioman · 15th Jul 2020, 2:57 pm

That chassis looks like a Barker '88' to me.

Andy

ms660 · 15th Jul 2020, 3:13 pm

Ditto....pre-war Barker 88 chassis.

Lawrence.

boxdoctor · 15th Jul 2020, 3:52 pm

One perculiarity it appears to have is that there appears to be only one "proper" I.F. transformer. There is an odd what looks like a 2 terminal inductance under the chassis near the I.F. amplifier valve which may be the anode load for that valve, but its hard to see where it actually connects to. The valve holders are unfamiliar to me, too.
I would date it just pre or post war by the component mix. Tony.

ms660 · 15th Jul 2020, 4:04 pm

https://www.service-data.com/section...93/1/88-prewar

Lawrence.

Radio Wrangler · 15th Jul 2020, 4:15 pm

Does that look like a metal octal valve just near the centre of the chassis?

Certainly very late thirties, possibly just post-war. The lack of output transformer and likely energised speaker would suggest pre-war.

The tuning scale is very professionally printed. Push-pull outputs makes it a little grand even if the RF/IF section is rudimentary.

There are brackets and a hole for a magic eye and its socket, so the chassis is intended to go into sets of different levels of poshness.

The electronic design may be a bit basic in the RF/IF section but the standard of construction isn't as crude as many low turnover specials were.

Interesting set.

David

snowman_al · 15th Jul 2020, 4:22 pm

From this very forum Barker (88) info.
See the comment by Chas at the end of the first paragraph.
https://www.vintage-radio.com/manufa...ts/barker.html

westcliff · 15th Jul 2020, 5:53 pm

There ws a department store in Marylebone called Gayler and Pope, now defunct. Could the radio have been built for them to sell as an own-brand item?

Gus.

rontech · 15th Jul 2020, 6:56 pm

The red valve with the top cap connection looks like an EF37A to me.

I gather that valve was introduced in 1942

G6Tanuki · 15th Jul 2020, 7:08 pm

I saw it as an EBC33: which would make sense as a double-diode detector (demodulator/AGC) and first-audio stage to feed a triode phase-splitter ahead of a push-pull output.

14th Jul 2020, 11:36 pm	#1
sparkzter Diode Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Northampton, Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 8	Help identify this radio - Hi all, I seem to have fallen at the first hurdle on this project, as I can't identify it! Is anyone familiar with this manufacturer or set? It appears to have no marking inside however what I believe to be G P is shown in the logo at the centre of the scale plate. Any information on this set would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Garry Attached Thumbnails

15th Jul 2020, 8:33 am	#2
cathoderay57 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,388	Re: Help identify this radio - A view of the rear of the chassis and a list of the valve numbers might help. If you have to remove valves to read the numbers be gentle in pulling them out - pull from the base, not the glass if possible. Do them one at a time so that you replace them into the correct socket. Cheers, Jerry

15th Jul 2020, 11:13 am	#3
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,935	Re: Help identify this radio - Welcome to the forum! I have just looked through Pauls excellent database DVD and not a thing under GP, GE yes. Of course if it is all there, it should be an easy fix. __________________ G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S

15th Jul 2020, 11:35 am	#4
rontech Heptode Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 646	Re: Help identify this radio - Looks like mid 30's British judging by the station names. __________________ Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana

15th Jul 2020, 11:43 am	#5
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,864	Re: Help identify this radio - Yet the cabinet is very 1950s. Maybe a “bitsa”?

15th Jul 2020, 11:59 am	#6
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,536	Re: Help identify this radio - Department store special? Couldn't find anything in RM from 1933-38. __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

15th Jul 2020, 2:00 pm	#8
stitch1 Heptode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Durham, County Durham, UK. Posts: 826	Re: Help identify this radio - According to Set makers page 173 The tobacco company Godfrey Phillips Ltd commissioned KB to make 40,000 two valve 'Masterpiece' radios for them which they gave away when you'd smoked 500 packs of ten (assuming you lived that long). It's not this model but the GP could be Godfrey Phillips, perhaps getting their own cabinets made for commissioned chassis? John

15th Jul 2020, 2:15 pm	#10
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,988	Re: Help identify this radio - I just wonder if it is a George Palmer set He used the names Muzzulphone, Ardiphone and Palmerphone, or George Potter was City These sets were from the 1920s. Did they produce sets later on in their lives? John. __________________ My favourite text message "I'll be there in five minutes, if not read again"

15th Jul 2020, 2:36 pm	#11
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,007	Re: Help identify this radio - It looks to have octal valves - which would place it sometime very-late-1930s onwards. The 'blank space' on the scale-plate would probably have been for a 'magic eye' tuning indicator. Under-chassis it looks to have several replacement parts - the volume-control pot looks suspiciously clean and there are a few plastic-cased capacitors that look like 1960s Radiospares parts. Would be interesting to loosen the clip on the big smoothing-electrolytic and ease it up a bit to see if there's any date printed on it. I don't see an output-transformer or an HT smoothing-choke, but I do see what looks like two output-valves, and the metal-can valve behind the red-painted EBC33 could be a phase-splitter. Push-pull output-transformer mounted on the [energized] loudspeaker probably. Is that a small 4-pin or 5-pin paxolin socket I can see lurking behind one of the output-valves? That would be for speaker connection. If I had to guess, I'd say it was possibly a just-pre-WWII-or-slightly-afterwards 'bitsa' made by a very small manufacturer - there were loads of these operations around, most had gone bust by the early-50s. Last edited by G6Tanuki; 15th Jul 2020 at 2:46 pm.

15th Jul 2020, 2:57 pm	#12
radioman Heptode Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Ayr, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 631	Re: Help identify this radio - That chassis looks like a Barker '88' to me. Andy __________________ G-QRP #12697

15th Jul 2020, 3:13 pm	#13
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Help identify this radio - Ditto....pre-war Barker 88 chassis. Lawrence.

15th Jul 2020, 3:52 pm	#14
boxdoctor Rest in Peace Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Ripley, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 785	Re: Help identify this radio - One perculiarity it appears to have is that there appears to be only one "proper" I.F. transformer. There is an odd what looks like a 2 terminal inductance under the chassis near the I.F. amplifier valve which may be the anode load for that valve, but its hard to see where it actually connects to. The valve holders are unfamiliar to me, too. I would date it just pre or post war by the component mix. Tony.

15th Jul 2020, 4:04 pm	#15
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Help identify this radio - https://www.service-data.com/section...93/1/88-prewar Lawrence.

15th Jul 2020, 4:15 pm	#16
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,902	Re: Help identify this radio - Does that look like a metal octal valve just near the centre of the chassis? Certainly very late thirties, possibly just post-war. The lack of output transformer and likely energised speaker would suggest pre-war. The tuning scale is very professionally printed. Push-pull outputs makes it a little grand even if the RF/IF section is rudimentary. There are brackets and a hole for a magic eye and its socket, so the chassis is intended to go into sets of different levels of poshness. The electronic design may be a bit basic in the RF/IF section but the standard of construction isn't as crude as many low turnover specials were. Interesting set. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

15th Jul 2020, 4:22 pm	#17
snowman_al Octode Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Llandeilo, West Wales, UK. Posts: 1,092	Re: Help identify this radio - From this very forum Barker (88) info. See the comment by Chas at the end of the first paragraph. https://www.vintage-radio.com/manufa...ts/barker.html __________________ Never Leave Well Enough Alone...

15th Jul 2020, 5:53 pm	#18
westcliff Hexode Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Essex, UK Posts: 397	Re: Help identify this radio - There ws a department store in Marylebone called Gayler and Pope, now defunct. Could the radio have been built for them to sell as an own-brand item? Gus. Last edited by westcliff; 15th Jul 2020 at 5:55 pm. Reason: typo

15th Jul 2020, 6:56 pm	#19
rontech Heptode Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 646	Re: Help identify this radio - The red valve with the top cap connection looks like an EF37A to me. I gather that valve was introduced in 1942 __________________ Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana

15th Jul 2020, 7:08 pm	#20
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,007	Re: Help identify this radio - I saw it as an EBC33: which would make sense as a double-diode detector (demodulator/AGC) and first-audio stage to feed a triode phase-splitter ahead of a push-pull output.