Tom Albrecht's Radio and TV Attic

Emerson 502 (1946)
Here is a rare model that has never been offered on Radio Attic previously. It's the ebony/alabaster swirl Catalin version of the famous Raymond Loewy designed cabinet commissioned by Emerson. This artful design combines a sloping molded Lucite grille having a geometric pattern of square openings with a striking brass/turquoise dial and clear/gold knobs, all complemented by the beauty of the glossy Catalin main body. The alabaster component of the Catalin has aged to a more butterscotch color (as is typical of all aged Catalin cabinets). The cabinet, as well as the molded back cover, are free of defects and have an excellent original shine. The All American Five chassis has been restored to work like new, with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, new resistors where needed, a strong set of tubes, a full RF/IF alignment, and a new dial string. A new polarized power cord has been installed along with modified switch wiring for improved safety. Lighted dial. Just $25 shipping to 48 states. 11"W x 8-1/2"H x 6-1/2"D. $425.00. (1310214)

Emerson 504 (1946)
Emerson was an adventurous company in terms of cabinet design. Here we see a variant of a Raymond Lowe design with a molded Lucite sloping grille: a feature which showcased the capability of a new material and would have been very striking at the time. Combined with the stamped brass turquoise dial, this design still looks fresh and futuristic today. The rest of the walnut veneered cabinet is in very nice condition. The finish doesn't look new, but whether it is original, or a very skillful refinish done far in the past I cannot tell. Another nice feature of this cabinet is the molded back cover; this one has a chip in a lower corner, but you have to look twice to notice it. The All American Five chassis has been fully restored and works like new, with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, a strong set of tubes, and a careful alignment. A new polarized power cord has been installed and the power switch wiring modified for improved safety. Use this radio to receive AM broadcasts as designed, or order it with my Better Bluetooth to play your own program material through the radio's tube amplifier circuitry. Lighted dial. Shipping only $25 to 48 states. 11-1/4"W x 9"H x 6-1/2"D. $175.00. (1310200)

Emerson 510 (1946)
The cabinet of this Emerson was a work of art by industrial designer Raymond Loewy. The combination of a striking turquoise and brass dial, a molded white plastic grille with a geometric pattern of square openings, and a slant-font walnut veneered box placed this design squarely into the Mid Century Modern trend. This cabinet was re-veneered and finished by a former owner, and the finish still looks excellent. The grille, Bakelite back, knobs, and dial are all original; the nice clear dial cover is a reproduction. The Bakelite back has a chip missing in the lower rear corner at the mounting screw hole. The All American Five chassis has been restored to work like brand new, with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, several new resistors, a full RF/IF alignment, contacts and controls cleaned, and the tuning mechanism lubricated. A new polarized power cord has been installed with modified switch wiring for improved safety. Lighted dial. Only $25 shipping to 48 states. 11-14"W x 9"H x 6-1/2"D. $175.00. (1310213)

Emerson 520 (1946)
Emerson had many famous cabinet designs, including this one, attributed to Raymond Loewy, the prominent American industrial designer, who transformed everyday items into modern works of art. This is one of the Catalin versions of this cabinet, with gorgeous butterscotch marbled with the brown base material. Catalin radio cabinets often crack or show other defects due to shrinkage of the material, but this one is as nice as they come -- completely free of cracks or chips, and with a beautiful shine. Even the back (particularly prone to cracking due to differential material shrinkage) is in perfect condition. Knobs, grille, grille cloth, dial, and back are all original. The chassis has had a full electrical restoration with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, new resistors where needed, a strong set of tubes, and a careful RF/IF alignment. A new polarized power cord has been installed and the power switch circuitry has been updated to improve safety. This radio plays like brand new, with good sensitivity and sound quality. Lighted dial. Use as designed to listen to AM broadcasts, or order with my Better Bluetooth option to listen to your own program material. Shipping just $25 to 48 states. 11"W x 8-1/2"H x 6-1/2"D. $425.00. (1310199)

Emerson 539 (1946)
Emerson was one of the companies introducing finely perforated grille material as a new design direction in the post war years. Here the perforated material covers most of the front of the radio for a very modern appearance. The embossed gold dial and silver-domed pointer give this radio a striking appearance in either a well lighted or dark room. The cabinet on this one was refinished in the past by a previous owner; it's no longer perfect, but looks quite presentable. The knobs are original; the dial cover is a reproduction. Not sure if the back is original. The All American Five chassis has been fully restored to work like new, with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, several new resistors, a strong set of tubes, and a full RF/IF alignment. A new polarized power cord has been installed along with modified switch wiring for improved safety. Lighted dial. 11"W x 8"H x 6-1/2"D. $145.00. (1310212)

Emerson 615-B (1949)
In the 1930s and 40s, Emerson was particularly notable for artistic cabinet designs, sometimes created by famous designers such as Loewy, Eames, Geddes, and Vassos. Many quality Emerson cabinets were made by the Ingraham clock company. This particular model has been attributed by others to Raymond Loewy, although I have not been able to independently verify this. Regardless, it's a striking and creative design combining book-matched walnut burl veneer with an elaborate molded Lucite grille painted gold on the back side. The gently curving waterfall front and beautifully finished back side make this a real work of art. This rarely-seen radio is in great condition, with original knobs and grille; even the original felt feet are nice. The cabinet has been refinished to bring out the beauty of the veneer. The chassis has been fully restored to work like new, with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, several new resistors, a strong set of tubes, and a full RF/IF alignment. A new polarized power cord has been installed with modified switch wiring for improved safety. Lighted dial. Only $25 shipping to 48 states. 13-1/4"W x 8"H x 8"D. $275.00. (1310209)

Howard SG-B "Green Diamond" (1930)
What a gorgeous cabinet design! This shouldered cathedral -- with its burl trim, inlayed patterns, delicate latticework, and carved finials -- is very pleasing to the eye. The finish on this cabinet is original, and in outstanding condition for its age. This Howard model is rarely seen, so another one is not likely to appear for some time. The chassis is very clean and has been fully restored with new capacitors, good tubes, new resistors where needed, and a new vintage-style power cord. It has been meticulously aligned to perform like new with good dial calibration. The circuitry represents the closing chapter of an earlier era, with a TRF design and no AVC, but it performs well and sounds good with the provided wire antenna. Grab this one before I decide to keep it for myself! 17-1/2"H x 15"W x 11-1/2"D. $750.00. (1310172)

RCA 8-X-71 (1949)
Getting top FM performance out of these early FM radios is a bit of an art. I've restored many of them and find that a careful sweep generator alignment brings out the best in these for like-new performance. The seven-tube chassis has been fully restored, with all electrolytic and paper capacitors replaced, a few new resistors, a strong set of tubes, and a full alignment. A new polarized power cord has been installed along with power switch wiring changes to keep the chassis grounded for improved safety. The Bakelite cabinet has an excellent original shine, with just a few scratches on the left side to remind you that this radio is 77 years old! Original dial, knobs, and back. Lighted dial. Just $25 shipping to 48 states. 13"W x 8-3/4"H x 7-1/2"D. $145.00. (1310215)

Stromberg-Carlson 1101 (1947)
This model was a prolific seller for Stromberg-Carlson as the "Dynatomic" in its Bakelite case version; here we have the less common wood cabinet. Usually the wood has a medium brown color, but a previous owner re-veneered the main body of this cabinet in a light veneer (probably birch) to provide an interesting contrast with the darker walnut grille. This interesting re-imagining of the cabinet gives it a distinct mid-century modern look. The veneer isn't perfect, but looks respectable from a normal viewing distance. I've given the six-tube chassis my usual full restoration, with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, a strong set of tubes, a full RF/IF alignment, a new polarized power cord, and modified power switch wiring for improved safety. Lighted dial. Use it to listen to AM broadcasts as designed, or order with my Better Bluetooth option to play your own program material. Lighted dial. 13-1/2"W x 8-1/2"H x 7"D. $120.00. (1310207)

Tele-Tone 117A (1946)
In the late 1940s, several manufacturers explored the use of perforated wood for speaker grilles as part of a new design trend. Here is Tele-Tone's version of that trend. The slant-front wooden cabinet and perforated grille lean towards Mid-Century Modern design. The finish on this one was restored at some point in the past; it's no longer perfect, but quite presentable. The knobs, grille, dial glass, and back are all original. The All American Five chassis has been restored to work like new, with all paper and electrolytic capacitors replaced, a few new resistors, a full RF/IF alignment, and a strong set of tubes. A new polarized power cord has been installed along with modified switch wiring for improved safety. Lighted dial. Just $20 shipping to 48 states. 11-1/2"W x 7-1/2"H x 6-3/4"D. $125.00. (1310211)

Tele-Tone 138 (1946)
The late 1940s witnessed the beginning of a shift away from Deco and Machine Age designs toward Mid Century Modern, with its more streamlined geometric forms and reduced ornamentation. This Tele-Tone is an example of forward-thinking design in 1946. While the cabinet material is still Bakelite, the aesthetic is more modern. The cabinet on this one is in nice condition, free of cracks and chips. The knobs and dial are original; the back is a reproduction. The five-tube All American Five chassis has been restored to work like new, with all electrolytic and paper capacitors replaced, several new resistors, a strong set of tubes, and a full RF/IF alignment. A new polarized power cord has been installed along with modified switch wiring for improved safety. This radio doesn't have a built-in antenna; a suitable wire antenna has been provided. The short wave band on this radio is nonfunctional, but you probably won't miss it. Lighted dial. Just $20 shipping to 48 states. 11"W x 7"H x 6-1/2"D. $145.00. (1310210)

Tele-Tone 165 (1948)
This bright red miniature radio was intended to catch your attention! Tele-Tone provided this model to a number of retailers who sold it under various brand names including Cub, Roland, Fleetwood, Aetna, or with no name at all, like this one. I haven't seen another one with a red cabinet like this, however. The cabinet isn't painted -- it's a bright red Plaskon-like material. Unfortunately there is a substantial crack in the bottom of the cabinet (be sure to look carefully at the bottom picture), but it displays well if you can overlook the crack. The four-tube chassis has been restored to work like new, with all electrolytic and paper capacitors replaced, a strong set of tubes, a careful RF/IF alignment, and a new polarized power cord with modified switch wiring to improve safety. Since it's only a four-tube circuit, sensitivity isn't as good as a typical AA5, but it pulls in local stations just fine on its built-in loop antenna. Note that the original box is included! Just $20 shipping to 48 states. 8-1/2"W x 6"H x 4-1/2"D. $75.00. (1310208)

Zenith Royal D7000Y Trans-Oceanic (1973-78)
The D7000Y model of the Zenith Transoceanic series stands as an impressive monument to American radio design and manufacturing. Long after production of almost all radios moved overseas, Zenith kept producing this very elaborate model in the U.S., with point-to-point wiring and top quality construction throughout. It is a fabulous performer on all 11 bands, including AM, FM, VHF (weather), LW, and SW. I'm well experienced with restoring this model to like-new performance, with every electrolytic capacitor replaced, and all other problems repaired to bring all bands to perfect reception. I do an elaborate alignment, beyond the Zenith instructions, to achieve the best possible dial calibration and sensitivity on all bands. The 4x6-inch speaker puts out great sound, particularly on FM where it can really shine. This is unit #3 of three of these I have for sale. This one shows some wear and scratching on various surfaces (check the photos carefully) and a minor dent on top. The log book is in reasonable condition, but missing its back cover. There is no battery corrosion, but the battery sleeves are missing. A replacement AC power cord is included. 14"W x 9"H x 6-1/2"D. $275.00. (1310192)