Radios

About Antique Radios

The ‘golden age of radio’ may be gone, but antique radios are still going strong. Whether you’re interested in a specific manufacturer (RCA, Philco, Zenith, Crosley, Emerson) or style (catalin, transistor, cathedral or console), there’s a radio out there for you.

You can identify most antique radios by model number, which can include any combination of letters and numbers. If you don't see a manufacturer's name, look inside the chassis, as it may be stamped on the tubes or other components...

The earliest radios were typically bare components (e.g. glass tubes) mounted on a board. Later came plain wooden or metal boxes, and by the late 1920s, elaborate cabinets designed to look like real furniture. Cathedral and tombstone style wooden cabinets were popular during the 1930s. And Art Deco style radios made of Bakelite, Catalin and other early resins or plastics (Plaskon, Beetle, etc) became popular during the 1930s and 1940s. Transistors were introduced in 1957, displacing tubes and enabling miniaturization.

Although you may be able to play an unrestored antique radio, note that its capacitors are likely to fail without warning (and may also pose a fire hazard), so replacing them pre-emptively is advisable.

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Interviews & Articles

Guest Column: Understanding Antique Radios

You've just acquired an old radio, but apart from the manufacturer's name on the front, you don't know a blessed th… [more]

Guest Column: Collecting Vintage Transistor Radios of the 1950s and 60s

Perhaps you recently saw a picture of a cool looking pocket radio from the early 1960’s and were reminded of your c… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Jim's Antique Radio Museum

Jim's Antique Radio Museum

Jim Tripp's showcase of radios from the 1920s to late 1950s, organized by style and theme (wood, console, plastic, … [read review or visit site]

The Radio Attic's Archives

The Radio Attic's Archives

This photo gallery of over 7800 vintage radios, categorized by manufacturer and model number, is a group effort wit… [read review or visit site]

AntiqueRadios.com

AntiqueRadios.com

Alan Voorhees' reference resource for vintage radio collectors includes a photo gallery, article library, PDF archi… [read review or visit site]

Radiomuseum.org

Radiomuseum.org

This vast archive and community of radio collectors features over 120,000 radio model listings and 350,000 photos a… [read review or visit site]

Philcoradio.com

Philcoradio.com

Ron Ramirez's comprehensive reference on the former Philadelphia Storage Battery Company and Philco Corporation. In… [read review or visit site]

Phil's Old Radios

Phil's Old Radios

This extensive collection of antique radios includes beautiful photos and detailed historical descriptions. The sit… [read review or visit site]

Radiophile.com

Radiophile.com

John Pelham's collection of wood and plastic radios from the 1930's and 40's. What sets this site apart is the deta… [read review or visit site]

Tube Radio Land

Tube Radio Land

Paul Turney's collection of tube radios from manufacturers like Zenith, Atwater-Kent, Philco, RCA, Emerson, Sparton… [read review or visit site]

Deco Radios

Deco Radios

Tune in to Steve Davis' collection of 1930s and 40s Art Deco style radios, featuring stunningly crisp high resoluti… [read review or visit site]

Radio-Guy

Radio-Guy

Steve Erenberg's extremely wacky and well-done collection of vintage mad-scientist devices and contraptions. Writte… [read review or visit site]


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Emmerson Snow White Radio Q-236 Circa 1939 Very Rare$1,009 Ends in 17 hours 13 bids 53 watchers
Vintage Rca Type 77-d Microphone Model Nr$698.00 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 54 watchers
Emerson 744 B Plaskon / Bakelite Radio - Coral & Black$650.00 Ends in 16 hours 12 bids 75 watchers
Big And Beauiful Saba Radio 410 Continental With Remote$629.00 Ends Tuesday 7 bids 39 watchers
Zenith Baby Stratosphere 12a58 Rare Vintage Console$610.00 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 74 watchers
Vintage Fada 1000 Caitlin Bakelite Radio * Works* Rare$600.00 Ends in 12 hours 5 bids 34 watchers
Loewe Opta Spinett " The Radio With Legs "$545.00 Ends in 6 hours 14 bids 41 watchers
Fada Bullet Radio Catalin Butterscotch Bakelite 1940s$521.77 Ends in 17 hours 6 bids 45 watchers
Atwater Breadboard 1927 10c$462.00 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 21 watchers
Stromberg Carlson Antique Model 225h Rosewood Radio$450.00 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 34 watchers
E H Scott Volume Expander Aw-23 Radio$428.66 Ends in 18 hours 3 bids 25 watchers
Vintage 1940s Old Fada Art Deco Catalin Bakelite Radio$405.01 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 54 watchers
Sromberg-carlson "green" Bakelite Valve Radio "working"$372.49 Ends Saturday 6 bids 55 watchers
1924 Atwater Kent Model 19 Battery/tube Radio$355.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 39 watchers
1940's Ww Ii Bc-348-o Radio Receiver With Dynamotor$350.00 Ends in 17 hours 18 bids 42 watchers
Telefunken Opus 8 - Gigantic 1957-58 German Tube Radio$340.00 Ends Thursday 11 bids 89 watchers
Fada Catalin Radio - Model 711 - 1947$330.00 Ends in 6 hours 4 bids 17 watchers
1921 Grebe Cr5 W/good Bbt * Exc., Working Vintage Radio$308.00 Ends in 16 hours 8 bids 55 watchers
Deco Chrome Front Crosley Wood Tombstone Table Radio $306.00 Ends in 18 hours 15 bids 97 watchers
Zenith Trans Oceanic R7000-2 Radio Excellent & Working $305.00 Ends in 15 hours 18 bids 71 watchers
1931 Westinghouse Wr-8r Art Deco Skyscraper Clock/radio$304.00 Ends Monday 3 bids 63 watchers
Top ! Saba Freiburg 11 With Motortuning Tube Radio,1961$300.00 Ends in 7 hours 9 bids 91 watchers
Tom Thumb Radio Buy it Now$299.95 Ends Saturday 1 bid 9 watchers
Fada 1945 Model 1000 Catalin "bullet" Radio Streamliner$280.99 Ends Sunday 7 bids 30 watchers
Philips B6x43a " Full Stereo " Fm Up To 10mhz Near Mint$275.00 Ends in 5 hours 4 bids 20 watchers
Motorola Art Deco Tube Radio Catalin Galvin Mfg Rare$265.99 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 42 watchers
1936 15 Tube Truetone D690 Detrola 192e Console Radio$265.00 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 41 watchers
Art Deco Cabinet Valve Radio Ultra Electric London$262.98 Ends in 2 hours 12 bids 42 watchers
Antique 1923 Air-way Type F Tube Radio Battery Receiver$262.00 Ends in 16 hours 13 bids 93 watchers
Zenith 1935 Tombstone Model 808 Radio$255.00 Ends Monday 15 bids 70 watchers
Vintage 6 Transistor Radio Toshiba$208.13 Ends in 19 hours 18 bids 44 watchers
German Tube Radio Ve301dyn Works Propaganda 1933 $207.50 Ends in 16 hours 11 bids 45 watchers
Near Mint Saba Freudenstadt 16, Tube Radio ,fm Stereo !$202.61 Ends in 7 hours 4 bids 55 watchers
Vintage 1970s New In Box Panasonic Shortwave Old Radio$202.50 Ends Thursday 8 bids 43 watchers
Zenith Cube Radio From 1937 - Do Not Miss This One!$202.50 Ends in 16 hours 9 bids 40 watchers
Superb Ozarka Battery Radio, With Four Uv199 Tubes$202.50 Ends in 14 hours 9 bids 51 watchers
E. H. Scott Philharmonic Radio Dial Glass & Trim$201.51 Ends Monday 2 bids 36 watchers
Philco 37-604 Wood Table Radio$200.00 Ends Thursday 11 bids 28 watchers
Zenith 12s471 Console Floor Model Radio$199.99 Ends in 12 hours 1 bid 48 watchers
Tivoli Audio Radio Henry Kloss Model Two Subwoofer Klh!$183.61 Ends in 13 hours 18 bids 41 watchers
Telefunken Opus 6 German Beauty Radio Beautiful !$183.50 Ends in 18 hours 16 bids 72 watchers
Amplion Ar 19 Wood 10 Petal Horn Speaker$183.50 Ends in 14 hours 11 bids 49 watchers
Zenith "long Distance" Black Dial Tombstone Tube Radio$181.50 Ends in 16 hours 6 bids 47 watchers
Rare Keen Tone/kutter Art Deco Vtg Tube Musicaire Radio$180.50 Ends in 16 hours 5 bids 31 watchers
Vintage Tube Radio Sentinel Catalin Butterscotch$175.39 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 31 watchers
Antique 1938 Spartan 628 Tombstone Walnut Radio W Eye$175.00 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 18 watchers
Pair Grundig Stands Hifi Raumklangbox 4 " Rare " 5 Ohm$160.20 Ends in 5 hours 9 bids 19 watchers
Zenith Metal Display Sign For Transistor Radios Nice!$157.50 Ends in 17 hours 3 bids 24 watchers
Pair Of Rca 2a3 Tubes New In The Box$157.50 Ends in 14 hours 6 bids 30 watchers
Philco Model 44 Wood Cathedral Radio$156.50 Ends in 5 hours 5 bids 15 watchers
Telefunken Gavotte 6 Export Wunderfull Condition $153.00 Ends in 5 hours 6 bids 17 watchers
Extremely Rare 1930 Airline "collegian" Cathedral Radio$152.51 Ends Monday 5 bids 44 watchers
Rare 5-band Ace Art Deco Tombstone Tube Radio Vtg Works$152.50 Ends in 16 hours 7 bids 51 watchers
Crosley 1950s Red Clock Radio Buy it Now$149.99 Ends in 10 hours 5 bids 8 watchers
Scarce Victorian Gilded Spelter Figurine Le Telegraphe!$149.95 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 5 watchers
Beautiful General Model 7a Tombstone Style Tube Radio$145.00 Ends in 15 hours 1 bid 16 watchers
Philips B5x04a In Mint Condition With Wunderfull Sound $141.50 Ends in 5 hours 3 bids 14 watchers
Vintage Studio Velocity Microphone$139.74 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 8 watchers
Gorgeous 1941 Zenith Tube Toaster Am Radio Works Nice$137.50 Ends in 17 hours 14 bids 61 watchers

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