Collectors Weekly Clothing +
Fashion		Jewelry +
Watches		Pottery
+ Glass		Home +
Furniture		Art +
Photos		Music +
Movies		Toys +
Games		Sports
 		Coins +
Stamps		Paper +
Books		Ads +
Signs		Autos +
Transport		Eras +
Themes

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 nu...

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.

About our sources | Got something to add?

▼ Expand to read the full article ▼

Show & Tell - Show Off Your Stuff!

» See all Radios Show & Tells (or post your own!)

Upcoming Events

» See all 14 Radios events (or post your own)

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 thing about it. L… [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 carefree, youthf… [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]



Clubs & Associations: Radios

Discussion Forums: Radios

Other Great Reference Sites: Radios

× Want Collectors Weekly updates on Facebook?
Click "Like" below…

Top eBay Auctions

See all by  highest bid • most watched • completed
1935 E.h. Scott Allwave 23 With Laureate Grande Console1923 Atwater Kent Model 2 Breadboard RadioVintage 1922 Kennedy 110 Near Mint Old Radio Reciever !Stunning Condition And Restored Setchell Carlson JetSparton 557 Blue Mirrored "sled" RadioNice Atwater Kent Model 10 Breadboard Tube Radio 4700Yaesu Amateur Radio PackageNice Western Electric 274b Or 274-b Tube Nr Vintage / Old 1920's Grebe Synchrophase Valve RadioStunning Working Atwater Kent Wood Tube RadioRare 1920s Chalkware Bonzo Pup/dog Statue Crosley RadioExcellent, Working 1921 Kennedy 281 Radio & 521 Amp1923 Deforest Type D-7a (d7a) Radio & Coil Antenna Excellent Matched Pair Of Rca #50 Tubes Nr Rare 1922 Antique Crosley RadioFactory Original! 1962 Dynaco Dynakit St70 St 70 Stereo1922 Rca Radiola Iv * A Gorgeous, Working Vintage RadioCrystal Detector Radio Nora Deutsche Werke AgE.h. Scott Phantom Midwest S-16 Console RadioZenith 9s264 Console Radio1940's Stromberg Carlson Green Bakelite Valve RadioSuper Rare Healing Mantle Radio For Restoration15 Globe Rca Ux-171a Radio Tubes Type 71a Ceco Philco +Aeriola 10 Crystal Radio, Nice ConditionVintage Emerson Stradivarius Violin Ingraham RadioOld Zenith Radio Porcelain Sign Advertising Nice!Telefunken Concertino 6 (opus Style) German Tube Radio!Rare 1920's Atwater Kent Factory Breadboard Radio Genalex Kt88 Tubes Original Matched Pair! Brown BaseAtwater Kent 2a Dual Crystal Radio Detector Stand1930 Antique Gloritone Cathedral Tube Radio Model 27Western Electric 7a Amplifier With We 216a TubesAntique Detroit Radio Crystal Set Radio W/ Frost FonesVintage '60s Philips Am/fm Tube Radio H4x32a + SurpriseHuge Military Telefunken Tube Receiver Radio ,working Matched Pair Of Cunningham Cx345, 345, 45 Tubes, TestedZenith 1939 Model 12-s-371Vintage Zenith Royal 7000-1 Transoceanic Radio Works ExUltra-rare 1941 Emerson Radio Ec-353 W/ingraham CabinetStewart Warner Model R-1235-a Tombstone Tube Radio 19331930's Kennedy Cosmopolitan Cathedral Radio #63 - Wow!Rare Nos In Box Zenith Eye Tube 6t5Rare Radion Mantle Radio For RestorationVintage Zenith Old Leather Shortwave Transoceanic RadioZenith Model 860 Radio-1935, Exc. Cond. Free Delivery1930's Pilot G-562a Tube Bakelite Tombstone Radio Works1941 Antique Zenith Tombstone Tube Radio Model 5-f-134Vintage Red White Gold Zephyr Am Transistor 6 RadioExcellent 1937 Zenith Tombstone Radio Model S-229~ Vintage Stewart Warner 12-tube Radio W/ Tuning Eye ~~ Vintage Westinghouse 10-tube Radio ~ Beautiful ~Antique Loop Radio Antenna German 1910's Shortwave1938 Zenith 5j217t Black Dial Cube Radio - Nr! Silvertone Bell Horn Radio Speaker Sears & Roebuck5 Globe Rca Ux-280 Radio Tubes Type 80 Philco Deforest+Silvertone Tube Radio 2015 "deco" Bakelite Beauty WorksTop ! Mint Saba Freiburg 7 With Motortuning ! WorkingSaba 300 Automatic Stereo - Top Radio - Works GreatSilvertone Mirror Dial Console Radio Flash Tuning
»» Get our weekly Radios email
Right now on eBay



Recent News: Radios

Source: Google News

Veterans Salute promises to be interesting event
Leavenworth Times, September 8th

Some WW II vintage radios are expected to be on hand softly playing WW II and Korean War era music to get the veterans and visitors in the mood to re-visit...Read more

Dickie Bird: Thinking yourself younger
Yorkshire Post, September 5th

Period recall was prompted by a black-and-white television and a vintage radio playing old shows. The first group stayed here a week and were asked to...Read more

Carter: Music, 'Texas Gurls' and Mad Men
Times Record News, September 4th

The former members of Bigloo played a classic rock FM radio collection of cover tunes before an exhausted gathering of cyclists...Read more

A PROUD UGO AFFILIATE SINCE 1999
Pro Wrestling Torch, September 3rd

Pro Wrestling Focus Vintage Radio Shows from the early-'90s, Brian Hoops & George Schire Nostalgia Podcast, East Coast Audio Shows, and more...Read more

Ham radio operators to commemorate end of WWII
StarNewsOnline.com, August 31st

Some of the vintage radio equipment is on loan from an amateur radio operator in upstate New York, Vaughan said. Now preserved as a war memorial and...Read more

Radio Dramas kicks off new season at Fairfield University's Quick Center for ...
Media Newswire (press release), August 31st

"Radio Dramas," the Quick Center for the Arts' long-running series of vintage radio programs, kicks off another season at Fairfield University with among...Read more

Rita Hutchings has a gift with gadgets
Memphis Commercial Appeal, August 30th

Rita Hutchings has kept about 100 vintage radios out of the 600 she has collected over the years. She makes new knobs and dial covers, restoring them to...Read more

Celebrate Surf on August 28
Westside Today, August 20th

Captured Aural Phantasy Theater combines the art, drama and comedy of a vintage radio program with the live entertainment of a variety show...Read more

Radios

See also

Tools