Transistor Radios

About Vintage Transistor Radios

The transistor, forerunner of today’s microprocessor, was invented in the early 1950s by Texas Instruments. After Emerson, Philco, and RCA rejected the idea, TI got Regency Electronics to manufacture the first pocket-sized transistor radio in 1954. Generally, the most collectible transistor radios are those made in Japan from 1956 to 1963 and in America from 1955 to 1960. By the early '60s, many American companies had opted to have their radios made in Japan.

Regency (an American company) was the first to introduce a solid-state transistor radio, the Regency TR-1, in 1954. Other collectible American brands include Zenith, RCA, G.E., Admiral, Motorola, Magnavox, Philco, Raytheon, Arvin, Sylvania, and Emerson. Sony stunned the electronics world with its TR-63 in 1957, the world’s first truly pocket-sized radio utilizing all miniature components. Other collectible Japanese brands include Toshiba, Hitachi, Sharp, Standard, Sanyo, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Aiwa, Realtone, Global, and Zephyr...

One desirable feature is reverse painted plastic, popular between 1958 and 1962. All the artwork is painted inside of the radio's clear plastic dial cover. Also desirable are brightly colored cases from this era, including cool 1950s shades like robin’s egg/powder blue, seafoam green, and bright red or yellow. Condition also matters to collectors. Finding a radio with its original box, leather case, earphones, owner’s manual, and warranty card or sales slip will significantly increase its value.

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Interviews & Articles

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]

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]

An Interview With Eames Collector and Mid Century Design Aficionado Steve Cabella

As a teenager, I collected everything from vintage bicycles to Coca-Cola to Victorian stuff. Once I realized some o… [more]

An Interview with 20th Century Decorative Arts and Mid Century Modern Expert Frank Maraschiello

Mid-century Modern used the technology of mass production to produce good-looking pieces of furniture out of the la… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Michael Jack's Transistor Radio Photos

Michael Jack's Transistor Radio Photos

Michael Jack's great transistor radio collection includes stunning photos and great reference information on indivi… [read review or visit site]

Transistor Radio Design

Transistor Radio Design

James Butters' fun and creative website focusing on the design of 1950s and 60s pocket transistor radios. Highlight… [read review or visit site]

Radio Wallah

Radio Wallah

Alan Kastner's transistor radio site was one of the original go-to websites for radio enthusiasts, and it offers an… [read review or visit site]

Fifties Radio: Early Transistor Radios

Fifties Radio: Early Transistor Radios

This site features colorful images of Japanese and American-made transistor radios from the 1950s. Before diving in… [read review or visit site]

M31 Galaxy of Transistor Radios

M31 Galaxy of Transistor Radios

Robert Davidson's great site (galaxy, really), one of the earliest transistor radio sites on the web, features over… [read review or visit site]

Sarah's Transistor Radios

Sarah's Transistor Radios

Sarah Lowrey's collection of over 1000 radios you wish you could take to the beach. Viewable alphabetically by make… [read review or visit site]

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 Mid Century Modernist

The Mid Century Modernist

Stephen Coles' really visual blog dedicated to the Modernist era of design from 1940 to 1970 (aka Mid-century Moder… [read review or visit site]

Herman Miller Consortium Collection

Herman Miller Consortium Collection

This website showcases several hundred pieces of furniture, held by thirteen museums, that were designed for Herman… [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]

EamesCollector.com

EamesCollector.com

Steven Cabella's personal homage to Charles and Ray Eames. This site is as clean and visually appealing as the Eame… [read review or visit site]

Work of Charles and Ray Eames

Work of Charles and Ray Eames

This Library of Congress microsite is an overview of the postwar modern design work of Charles (1907-78) and Ray (1… [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]

Classic Modern

Classic Modern

Get a taste of how homes were lit in the 50s, 60s, and 70s with the Danish retro-style lighting designs featured on… [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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Vintage 6 Transistor Radio Toshiba$208.13 Ends Sunday 18 bids 42 watchers
Zenith Metal Display Sign For Transistor Radios Nice!$157.50 Ends in 23 hours 3 bids 23 watchers
Zenith Royal 555 Suncharger Transistor Radio In Box/acc$125.00 Ends in 23 hours 5 bids 25 watchers
Transistor Radio - Bang & Olufsen Beolit 707$102.50 Ends Thursday 3 bids 5 watchers
1950s Sony Tr-620 Red Transistor Radio Virtually Unused$90.10 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 40 watchers
Rare Toshiba 9tm-40 "robot Radio" Transistor Radio 1961$89.00 Ends Monday 4 bids 25 watchers
Toshiba 6tp-219 Transistor Radio Rare Vintage Radio$68.00 Ends Thursday 3 bids 21 watchers
1960s Japan Corona 6 Transistor Pocket Am Radio $62.00 Ends in 3 hours 13 bids 12 watchers
Pink Japan Hitachi Transistor 6 Th 667 Radio W/ Cover$56.51 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 8 watchers
Toshiba 6tp-31 Transistor Radio "bath Scale" Near Mint!$56.00 Ends Sunday 4 bids 24 watchers
Telefunken Bajazzo Junior Transistor Radio, Fm Am Sw $55.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 6 watchers
Sony Icr-100 First Integrated Circuit Radio Transistor$55.00 Ends in 22 hours 15 bids 35 watchers
Hitachi 666 Vintage Classic 6 Transistor Radio Japan$50.00 Ends in 22 hours 16 bids 41 watchers
Vintage Panasonic Panapet R-70 Transistor Radio Scarce$49.99 Ends in 22 hours 1 bid 8 watchers
Matsushita 7 Jewel Portalarm Transistor Radio In Box$46.00 Ends in 21 hours 10 bids 14 watchers
Zenith Royal 500 Hand Wired Red Transistor Radio 1stgen$45.87 Ends in 23 hours 6 bids 32 watchers
Sony Tr 86 Red Transistor Radio W/ Original Box (1959)$42.00 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 44 watchers
Vintage New Corvair 10 Transistor Radio Gift Pack Nib $40.00 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 4 watchers
Rare Ussr Micro Transistor Radio - Nos - Incredible!$34.00 Ends in 23 hours 3 bids 19 watchers
Ge P-780a Eight Transistor Radio Plays Fine!$31.00 Ends in 22 hours 6 bids 18 watchers
National Panasonic R-399 Transistor Radio Retro Collect$27.49 Ends Monday 2 bids 10 watchers
Realtone Tr-801 Transistor Radio - Works! Japanese Beut$26.90 Ends in 23 hours 5 bids 17 watchers
Vintage Global Transistor Radio W/leather Case Vgc$26.90 Ends Sunday 2 bids 19 watchers
Sony Icr-120 Tiny Ic Transistor Radio Boxed Working$26.88 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 35 watchers
Rare Japan - Transistor Owl Radio - Vintage - 1950's ?$26.02 Ends Sunday 9 bids 18 watchers
Polyrad Capri Kr-6ts43 Transistor Radio - Works, Exc!!!$26.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 16 watchers
Toshiba 6tc-485 Transistor Clock Radio W/box Exclnt!!!$26.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 22 watchers
Sony 6 Six Seiko Clock Transistor Radio Trw-621$24.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 13 watchers
Supreme (realtone) Transistor Radio - Works, Red, Japan$23.50 Ends in 23 hours 5 bids 21 watchers
Vintage Sony Six Transistor Radio With Case Tr650 1962$23.10 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 20 watchers
Realistic Str-67 Transistor Radio - Works, Amazing Japn$23.01 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 10 watchers
Crown Mo.# Tr-770r Rechargeable Niccad Transistor Radio$23.01 Ends in 1 hour 4 bids 18 watchers
Vintage Zenith Golden Triangle Clock Transistor Radio $22.72 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 17 watchers
Vintage Old Rare Color Marvel Japanese Transistor Radio$22.50 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 20 watchers
Vintage Tire Transistor Radio W/stand- Japan/works Fine$21.45 Ends in 20 hours 2 bids 9 watchers
Unbuilt - Graymark 542 Am/fm Transistor Radio Kit$20.99 Ends Monday 2 bids 12 watchers
Vintage Candle Eight Transistor Radio, Japan, Unused$20.50 Ends in 22 hours 4 bids 12 watchers
Org. 1960's Us Forces Vietnam War Transistor Radio Rare$20.49 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 21 watchers
Vintage Transistor Radio "standard Micronic Ruby" H-438$20.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 10 watchers
Unqiue Lloyd's Yorick 8k39 Eames Era Transistor Radio$19.99 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 10 watchers
Ancient Armillary Sphere Transistor Radio$19.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 3 watchers
Vintage 1950s Philco Art Deco Transistor Plastic Radio$19.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 25 watchers
Pepsi Transistor Radio Original Packaging And Paperwork$19.39 Ends Monday 3 bids 34 watchers
Used Germanium Transistors (about 100) $18.33 Ends Thursday 1 bid 16 watchers
Rare 1978 Paddington Bear Transistor Radio ~ Novelty$18.32 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 10 watchers
One Of The Earliest Transistors - 1957 Sky Leader Radio$18.23 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 27 watchers
Vintage Sharp 6 Transistor Bp-102b Pocket Radio Works!$17.40 Ends in 15 mins 2 bids 5 watchers
Old Retro Toshiba Transistor Radio 90674 Satsuma Globe$17.23 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 19 watchers
Vintage Popeye Transistor Radio$16.83 Ends in 16 hours 4 bids 15 watchers
Vintage Sunoco Six Transistor Radio - Model 668a Nib$16.52 Ends Monday 3 bids 14 watchers
Vintage Mib Working Aitc Am Transistor Radio P4000$16.16 Ends in 1 hour 2 bids 1 watcher
Vintage Sony Transistor Radio Model Tr-881 - Japan$16.06 Ends in 21 hours 5 bids 25 watchers
L&m St Louis Tr Radio M-21 2 Transistor Deluxe W Box$16.01 Ends in 23 hours 4 bids 10 watchers
Old Eico 6 Transistor Kit Radio$15.95 Ends Thursday 1 bid 2 watchers
Vintage Standard Oil Company Transistor Radio Gas Pump $15.50 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 17 watchers
Zenith Royal 500 Transistor Radio Maroon / Dark Red$15.50 Ends Monday 2 bids 11 watchers
Vintage Zenith R84y Transistor Radio$15.26 Ends in 23 hours 8 bids 17 watchers
Wwi Airplane Am Vintage Transistor Radio Spad$15.00 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 5 watchers
Transistor Radio- Vintage Skymaster '60s Classic !$15.00 Ends in 15 hours 5 bids 4 watchers

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Recent News: Transistor Radios

Source: Google News

White Mystery, Charlie Slick, Other Minds
Chicago Reader, March 20th

them through enough reverb to give their songs a diaphanous, dreamlike quality, like a transistor radio playing oldies from across an empty warehouse...Read more

Carolyn Barber: The Ides of March can bring pressure
Red Bluff Daily News, March 20th

As I grew older the first transistor radios came into being and you guessed it I used my babysitting money to buy a couple of those...Read more

Kiki's Delivery Service DVD Review
So Hood, March 20th

Kiki leaves her family at midnight on a beautiful, warm night with just her broom, her cat Jiji (voiced by Phil Hartman), and father's transistor radio...Read more

Darkest evening
Inquirer.net, March 19th

I did not complain because I could listen to Cebuano drama on my transistor radio for hours. I laughed and cried, woke up and slept with my radio and never...Read more

ORD'S DAY 4 BLOG: ALWAYS IN COMMAND
Sportinglife.com, March 19th

On the old transistor radio it sounded closer than what it probably was... "Hats off to "Dunc from Scotland" who has also made life a bit easier this week...Read more

Energy and intellect
Boston Globe, March 18th

Some Respect pieces have Rutner manipulating an old transistor radio. “It's such a wonderful thing to have, a battery-powered device that produces...Read more

Plastic Transistor Packages replace ceramic in RF applications.
ThomasNet Industrial News Room (press release), March 16th

has announced innovative plastic air-cavity packages that enable high-power transistors for Radio-Frequency (RF) applications such as transceivers,...Read more

Blackhawks TV spot takes fans back to 1961
Chicago Sun-Times, March 15th

As soon as she leaves the room, the kid pulls a transistor radio out from under his pillow and turns it on to listen to Bobby Hull score for the Blackhawks...Read more

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