r * ?m5F , IN THE HOME THE GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO IN THE HOME This book is more than just a catalogue of old radios because it also tells something of the story of how broadcasting became the means of bringing news and entertainment ‘over the air* and into any home equipped with a radio set. Although primarily concerned with the ‘hardware’ of the 1923-1960 period, it also documents something of the history of radio manufacturing in New Zealand, the first time such a thing has been attempted. It may come as a surprise to many people to learn just how far advanced this country’s radio industry was in pre­ war days, and for this reason the book should appeal to anyone with an interest in what is nowadays known as industrial archeology. However, because imported products initially formed the bulk of radio receivers sold in this country, no story of those days would be complete without coverage of that aspect. For this reason information on many well- known imported sets and their manufacturers is also included. Alas! Now it is all gone and with its passing a chapter in history is closed; all the more reason for documenting as much as possible while it is still within living memory. Although written mainly for the benefit of collectors of old radios, this book, it is hoped, will have an appeal to anyone old enough to remember radio’s Golden Age, as well as for younger people who may recognise among the illustrations a radio once owned by their parents or grandparents. Cover Photograph: Ron Fitz-William (Radio: Ultimate model 524 of 1932) ISBN 0 473 00389 9 CRAIGS—PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS THE GOLDEN AGE GE C)/ABA©_ V IN TEE DOME r TEE GOLDEN AGE 4 1 1C IN TEE EC/HE JOHN W. STOKES Printed and produced in New Zealand CRAIGS—PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS © John W. Stokes The book is copyright. Except for the purpose of fair reviewing no part of this publication, including the photographs, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Also by John W. Stokes 70 Years of Radio Tubes and Valves ISBN 0 473 00389 9 Printed and distributed by Craig Printing Co. Ltd 67 Tay Street, Invercargill, New Zealand First Impression 1986—34012 Second Impression 1989—56179 Acknowledgements In the preparation of this book I have received much help from many people; some lent photographs or other data, while others kindly allowed me to photograph radios in their collections. To all of the following in New Zealand I express my thanks: Alan and Stan Brehaut, Ian Browne, Harold Boyd, Noel Curtis, Lindsay Erasmuson, Leigh Hodgson, Eric Kirby, Ray Knowles, Peter Lankshear, Des Leonard, Mark Maloney, Ray Marett, Miss Joyce Martin, Reg Motion, Fred Pond, Eric Reynolds, R. S. Richards, Mark Thomson, Arthur Williams. In the U.S.A. I thank Alan Douglas and Floyd Paul. A special thanks to Peter Lankshear who provided invaluable help by correcting factual errors in the typescript, and to George Weston who assisted by correcting typographical and spelling errors. Thanks are also due to the Editor of Wireless World for permission to use material from that journal. Other material was obtained from long defunct periodicals and manufacturers’ sales literature of both local and overseas origin. As in the case of my previous book, my final thanks are reserved for my wife who continues to assist as before. J.W.S. 5 A word of explanation Because this work is concerned with only the so-called ‘entertainment’ or in-home aspect of radio communications, no more than passing reference has been made to the period preceding the advent of broadcasting. In general, the period encompassed in this book lies between 1923 and 1958, a span of only 35 years, but a very important one which saw the rise and fall of the radio valve, the vacuum tube, as the key device upon which broadcasting itself was founded. Particularly during the first ten or twelve years of this period the pace of technical progress was extremely rapid and nearly all the significant developments had occurred by about 1935. And now a word about what is not to be found in this book. Ham radio, although it was, and still is, usually an in-home activity is an entirely different development having little in common with home radio as such. Reference to radiograms and record players is minimal because, before the advent of the long-playing record, the playing of records was a relatively unimportant part of the entertainment scene in this country. Although reference to transistor radios occurs occasionally, no attempt has been made to cover the subject in detail as developments in this area are too recent to come within the time span of this book. Finally, due to limitations of space, it has been impossible to illustrate more than a fraction of the many different models of sets made by each manufacturer. For this reason there are bound to be some seekers after information who will be disappointed not to find what they are looking for. 6 Contents Acknowledgements .... 5 A word of explanation 6 Introduction............... 9 Chapter One How broadcasting began.................................... 11 Two The hardware...................................................... 16 Three What they looked like........................................ 26 Four New Zealand radio manufacturing................... 31 Five Some New Zealand radio manufacturers......... 37 Six Brief biographies of some other New Zealand manufacturers..... 76 Seven Some American receivers sold in New Zealand 89 Eight Some British imports ......................................... 134 Nine Made in Australia .............................................. 146 Ten Radio collecting................................................... 155 Bibliography 160 Index .......... 161 7 Introduction The magic of radio! As one of the twentieth To people interested solely in what comes century’s modern miracles, radio’s ability to bring over the air—the programmes—the end must information and entertainment to everyone always be more important than the means, but everywhere has for many years been a part of even so, once receivers evolved from the everyday life, long since taken for granted. Yet, experimental stage manufacturers were soon when the first wireless signals crackled through dressing up their products in elegant cabinets so the ‘ether’, nearly 100 years ago, who could have that radio became more than just a receiving foreseen such a development? For more than 20 instrument and could hold its place in any well- years after Marconi had transmitted the first appointed living room. In fact, as time went on, wireless signals across the Atlantic in 1901, cabinets tended to become more and more radio’s only application had been purely one of elaborate, with the larger and more expensive ‘communications’—the sending and receiving of models sometimes becoming status symbols. At messages—simply an extension of the telegraph the other end of the scale was the humble crystal which had already linked the Old and New set—the poor man’s radio—which could be Worlds by submarine cable many years earlier. purchased for a few shillings and which for many It was not long after the introduction of radio people was the only type of set they could afford. telephony, first used during World War I, that the But, right from the the beginning, there was idea of transmitting entertainment by radio more to radio than just listening in, even in the became a reality. Initially the idea met with days when there was little if anything to listen in considerable disfavour in certain quarters where to. Quite early on three separate classes of it was considered that such frivolous use of the ‘listener’ started to develop, probably all of whom new medium of communication was quite were initially attracted by ‘the wonder of it all’. unwarranted. In Great Britain the main Those who found the lure of logging distant opposition came from the Post Office and the stations irresistible became known as DX-ers; Royal Navy whose concern was that listeners-in those who delighted in the building and might overhear confidential messages. In New rebuilding of receivers and experimenting were Zealand, too, a similar concern was evinced by the known as home constructors; those who became Post and Telegraph Department, and for as long licensed amateur radio transmitters have long as receiving licences remained in use they carried been known as ‘hams’. a warning to listeners to observe the secrecy of Originally a ham was largely public correspondence. indistinguishable from a hobbyist constructor or Previous books written on the history of DX-er, for he was something of both himself and broadcasting in New Zealand have dealt almost could also on occasions be a broadcaster as well, exclusively with the transmitting side and in sometimes providing ‘gramophone concerts’ for particular with the three Ps—personalities, the benefit of both fellow hams and casual programmes and people—yet reception is the listeners alike. essential other half of broadcasting. Even though Home constructors came into existence even the receiving side, perhaps because of its passive before broadcasting began and nowadays one may nature, may be less interesting to read about, it wonder at the enthusiasm of those who made nevertheless has its own appeal and its own story, their own ‘apparatus’ when there was then no much of it concerned with the necessary thought of using the airways as a means of ‘hardware’ used for reception. providing entertainment. In the days before television and transistor Getting ‘bitten by the radio bug’ it used to be sets the household radio, or ‘wireless of even called, and that same bug was still around nearly earlier days, was a domestic god of no mean order a quarter of a century later, though by then much and for many years ‘listening-in’ held its own of the virulence had gone out of its bite.