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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 bles…  [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 o…  [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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Recent News: Radios

Source: Google News

Illinois man's home is a museum, housing 600.

Philadelphia Inquirer
And that dedication to detail has made the LaVelles popular figures in the growing community of radio collectors across the Midwest. ...

Teen Angst A-Go-Go!

LA Weekly
In Teen Angst A-Go-Go!, Captured Aural Phantasy Theater reads verbatim from midcentury comics, vintage radio show–style, to illustrate that, ...

Walkman vs. iPod

CNET News
Walkman vs. iPod
CNET News
by G|Net June 29, 2009 11:42 AM PDT I agree, but I'm not old enough to have experienced the vintage radio days, but discovered them in the 70s (via ...

Ham radio enthusiasts keep hobby alive


Business Gazette
Ham radio enthusiasts keep hobby alive
Business Gazette
Most often they are restored antique radios. Rag chewing: Longer conversations over the radio as opposed to a quick contact lasting only a minute or two.

and more »

FREE fun for Father's Day weekend

Examiner.com
FREE fun for Father's Day weekend
Examiner.com
Church of Christ 505 E. Kenosha, Broken Arrow OK is hosting a Summer Sizzler Heartland Antique Radio Assoc. Show and Sale Antique radio show and swapmeet. ...

Maxed Out: Hot Display-O-Meter Update!

PCB007 (press release)
Jake informed me that it was an antique radio cabinet that one of his friends had rescued from the trash some time ago. I decided that this general style of ...

Get out of town

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
(Luckey Hospital Museum, US 33 and Indiana 109 in Wolf Lake; 260-635-2419) Or the Heritage Center, with a refurbished Mier Carriage, a vintage radio ...

Beat 102-103 presents Irish Beats 'Live Summer Solstice' Special

Waterford Today
Suffering from Oxegen Anticipation Anxiety? Got a case of Electric Picnic Fever? Are you in need of a strong dose of live music? Well, the good doctors at ...

Storms knock out power in Knoxville

WQAD
A vintage radio was back in action at Knoxville Hardware. Staffers were making sales the old fashioned way. With the power out, it was cash only for ...

This monthly market at MIT is no ordinary yard sale.

Boston Globe
This monthly market at MIT is no ordinary yard sale.
Boston Globe
Darn near useless unless you repair antique radios. But you've got to admire the look -- kind of like Dr. Frankenstein's defibrillator. ...

Top eBay Auctions    (get weekly Radios email)

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Zenith Model 12s232 Robot Dial Antique Tube Radio$1,700 Ends Tuesday 18 bids 76 watchers
Vintage Art Deco Awa Empire State Bakelite Valve Radio $1,193 Ends Monday 22 bids 246 watchers
Colin B. Kennedy Type 110 Tube Radio Beautiful $760.00 Ends Monday 8 bids 51 watchers
Universal Catalin Midget Radio - It's Real And Rare!$711.00 Ends Monday 9 bids 43 watchers
Vintage Emerson Snow White & Seven Dwarfs Tube Radio$661.00 Ends in 17 hours 17 bids 60 watchers
Clairtone Model 7980 Am/fm/sw/cassette Boombox Nr$535.00 Ends Saturday 5 bids 23 watchers
Scott Sixteen Radio In Warrington Cabinet$530.00 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 34 watchers
Zenith Wood Tube Table Radio Model 10s130$520.00 Ends Saturday 12 bids 22 watchers
Art Deco Radio 1933 Excellent Condition, Working Order$493.77 Ends Sunday 8 bids 61 watchers
Vintage Trophy Baseball Radio -1941- Very Rare-works$455.00 Ends in 23 hours 16 bids 74 watchers
De Forest Rj-5 Radio With Spherical Audion Tube! Works!$403.88 Ends in 22 hours 9 bids 47 watchers
Vintage Heathkit 70 Watt Tube Amplifier Power Amp$387.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 36 watchers
Zenith 8s463 Console Radio$381.00 Ends in 23 hours 13 bids 52 watchers
Old Vintage 1956 Raytheon Atomic Logo Transistor Radio$370.00 Ends Tuesday 17 bids 61 watchers
Mint 1933 Emerson Mickey Mouse Radio Extremely Original$355.00 Ends Sunday 9 bids 70 watchers
Near Mint, Working Radiola Iii + Radiola Amp + Uz-1320$354.99 Ends in 22 hours 13 bids 112 watchers
Zenith Floor Model Radio 6s254$350.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 38 watchers
Beautiful Art-deco/machine Age Wood Detrola Tube Radio$338.00 Ends Thursday 16 bids 105 watchers
Old Antique Wood Zenith Tube Radio - Art Deco Tombstone$328.00 Ends Sunday 14 bids 76 watchers
1950's Retro Vintage Ekco Green Bakelite Valve Radio $310.21 Ends Monday 9 bids 54 watchers
Well Made 8 Tube Battery Homebrew Radio$307.99 Ends in 21 mins 10 bids 20 watchers
1927 Black Neutrowound Super-six Radio$300.00 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 31 watchers
Zenith 12s370 12 Tube Black Shutter Dial Console Radio$299.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 47 watchers
1935 Zenith 12 Tube Ivory Dial Model 980 Console Radio$299.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 29 watchers
Telefunken Opus 55 In Such A Great Condition $285.00 Ends in 22 hours 2 bids 19 watchers
1920's Neutrowound Breadboard Radio Receiver $274.69 Ends Sunday 7 bids 43 watchers
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Philips Riverbeo " Full Stereo And Fm Up To 104mhz "$260.00 Ends in 22 hours 2 bids 20 watchers
1924 Metrodyne Radio W/egyptian Motif Panel$256.99 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 32 watchers
Midwest D-16 Console Radio$253.00 Ends in 22 hours 9 bids 84 watchers
Transistor Radio - Bang & Olufsen Beolit 505$225.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 15 watchers
Antique Fada Bullet Radio 1946$213.50 Ends in 22 hours 8 bids 40 watchers
Fada Catalin Radio Model 652$210.50 Ends Saturday 4 bids 11 watchers
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Vintage / Art Deco Monarch Brown Bakelite Valve Radio $202.83 Ends Monday 5 bids 59 watchers
18 Globe Rca Ux-112a Radio Tubes Type 112a Cunn Ok Ceco$202.50 Ends Monday 2 bids 8 watchers
Stromberg-carlson Bakelite Tube Deco Radio. Cola Red!!!$201.73 Ends in 27 mins 19 bids 24 watchers
Beautiful Vintage / Art Deco Timber Wood Valve Radio $198.85 Ends Monday 5 bids 78 watchers
1930-40's Floor Model Zenith Spinet Type Case Radio$195.00 Ends Saturday 2 bids 26 watchers
1939 Airline Art Deco Radio - Model 62-367 - Works!$180.00 Ends in 20 hours 8 bids 29 watchers
Air Castle 30's Am-sw Wood Tube Radio W/tuning Eye$178.50 Ends in 23 hours 15 bids 51 watchers
1926 Operadio Consolette Radio With Lop Antennae$177.50 Ends Tuesday 8 bids 35 watchers
Rare Original Dewald Bakelite Radio Excellent! No Res$170.39 Ends Sunday 12 bids 32 watchers
Philips 834a Radio Receiver Others Listed No Reserve$166.95 Ends Monday 13 bids 56 watchers
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Rare Paire Of El34 Philips // 6ca7 Metal Base Nos Nib$156.50 Ends Monday 2 bids 12 watchers
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Vintage 1940's Catalin Bendix Tube Radio Model 526c$130.00 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 28 watchers
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Antique 1937 Zenith Radio Model 8s154 100%original!!!!!$122.50 Ends Monday 5 bids 31 watchers
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