Description of beetle plastic
I am
constantly looking for other beetle radios. If you have any for sale PLEASE contact me!
Click on any
image to see more views of the radio
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Troubador
Model: |
0-610 |
Year: |
1940 |
Dimensions: |
9.5x6.5x6.75 |
Tubes: 25Z6,
25L6, 6SA7, 6SK7, 6SQ7, Ballast- BM19B |
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I had this set listed as a "mystery radio" for quite some
time. For years, I had no luck in find anything out about it until I
got an email from Steven Sostrom. He deduced that this set was
Manufactured by Warwick Mfg. Co. and was sold under the brand of Troubador.
With that info I was able to confirm that and get the model number.
His website is below showing off his fine collection.
Thanks Steven!
http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~srs/
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Aria
Model: |
1261 |
Year: |
1941 |
Dimensions: |
12x7x9 |
Tubes: |
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This is
another of those radios that is really to large for a handle but they were
so popular the manufacturers felt it had to be included. I have never seen
another radio with the Aria brand but I have seen this radio with
"Sentinel" stamped on the dial face. |
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Admiral
Model: |
373-5R |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
10.5x7x6.75 |
Tubes: |
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This radio is one of
my all time favorite beetle radios. This set, as were many others, was manufactured by the
Continental Radio Corporation for Admiral. This particular radio is in mint condition. |
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Admiral
Model: |
163-5L |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
9.5x6.5x6.75 |
Tubes: |
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This radio was also
manufactured by the Continental Radio Corp. and sold to Admiral. It's beetle material
looks different from other radios in my collection and my guess is that it was purchased
from a different plastics manufacturer. |
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Admiral
Model: |
4202-B6 |
Year: |
1941 |
Dimensions: |
11.5x6.5x7.25 |
Original Price: |
$19.95 |
Tubes: |
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|
This set is one of
only two beetle sets that I know of with a wide slide rule dial and symmetrical styling
typically found on radios from the late 1940's. The other is the GE CL-500 shown
further below. |
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Admiral
Model: |
668-6JL |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
11x6x7 |
Tubes: 75, 25Z5, 25L6, 6D6, 6A7, 25Z5 |
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This
radio is one of my rarer beetle radios. I have never seen another one. I have
seen the cabinet in both bakelite and plaskon though. It is a favorite because of
it's near perfect condition. |
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General Electric
Model: |
GD-520 |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
7.25x4.25x5.25 |
Tubes:
|
|
|
This radio's petite
size and brass waterfall style escutcheon are only a couple of reasons that makes it a
very interesting as well as desirable model. |
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General Electric
Model: |
KL-51 |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
10.5x6.25x7.25 |
Tubes: |
|
|
The KL-51 is the
Canadian brother to the H-620 shown below. It differs from the H-620 only slightly,
having a cardboard back and a painted metal dial. |
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General Electric
Model: |
H-620 |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
10.5x7.5x7.25 |
Tubes: 25Z6, 25L6, 6SK7,6SA7, 6SQ7, 6J5, K13J811 |
|
|
The H-620 is, to me,
kind of homely and therefore not among my favorite beetle radios. It has a
painted plastic dial which is almost always scratched and warped. However, it does
have three knobs, four pushbuttons and a molded back that add to it's character. |
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General Electric
Model: |
H-500 |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
9x4.75x5.75 |
Tubes: 35L6, 35Z5, 12A8, 12SQ7, 12SK7 |
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|
This radio is also
known as the GE "turbine". It came in several similar models - molded back; and
also a pressboard back. Push buttons are also found on other models. Colors: brown,
white, beetle.. |
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General Electric
Model: |
H-510 |
Year: |
1939
|
Dimensions: |
9x5.75x5.75 |
Tubes: |
|
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This is virtually the
same radio as above except with push buttons and a molded back. These two additions
added to it's initial cost and therefore this model is much rarer today. Colors: brown,
white, beetle. |
 |
General Electric
Model: |
CL-500 |
Year: |
1940 |
Dimensions: |
9.25x6x5.25 |
Tubes: 50L6, 35Z5, 12SA7, 12SQ7, 12SK7 |
|
|
Some may think this
radio is a rather plain radio and maybe it is, but, the beetle marbling, nice lines and
smaller size are appealing to me. This model was made in Canada. |
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Imperial
Model: |
T501 |
Year: |
1941 |
Dimensions: |
9x6.5x6 |
Original Price |
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Tubes: |
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This set
is another mystery to me. I know the model number because it is on
the back. I know it is a Imperial because I have found it's bakelite
brother in an add in "Evolution of the Radio Volume 2".
But I have never seen this radio anywhere else and can find nothing on the
brand "Imperial". |
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Kadette
Model: |
H |
Year: |
1931 |
Dimensions: |
8x4x6.5 |
Tubes:37,
38, 39, A-1 |
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WOW!
What a beautiful radio this is. The marbling on this set is very
impressive. There has been some question of the model # for this
set. I called it a model "H" because I have seen it
described that way in several radio books.
From the book "A Flick of the
Switch"
"International Radio
Corporation: First volume-produced AC-DC
set. First volume-produced plastic set. Introduced in 1931."
|
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Majestic
Model: |
5T-0 |
Year: |
1938 |
Dimensions: |
8x6x8 |
Original Price |
$29.95 |
Tubes: |
|
|
Another
wow. This model
has to be one of, if not the most coveted of my beetle radios. It came in a couple
of variations, one with a blue dial face and grill area and this set which included
mirrored face and a clock. The band numbers are invisible until the set is turned
on. Both are exceedingly rare with this set being nearly impossible to find
today. |
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Sentinel
Model: |
195U-LTO |
Year: |
1941 |
Dimensions: |
10x9.5x7 |
Original Price |
|
Tubes: |
|
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This set
has eluded me until recently when I was fortunate enough to win it on Ebay. Don't know too much about it except that it has
a typical "all-American
five" tube line up. |
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Silvertone
Model: |
3251 |
Year: |
1940 |
Original Price: |
|
$8.95 |
Dimensions: |
7.75x5x5.25 |
Tubes: 35L6, 35Z5, 12SA7, 12SQ7, 12K7 |
|
|
This
radio's petite size only adds to it's cuteness. It's unusual for the
"upside-down" placement of the chassis. This particular radio has the glass
dial cover which is often missing from this model. Sears called it
"Beautiful Onyx" in their ads. |
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Silvertone
Model: |
7008 |
Year: |
1940 |
Dimensions: |
10.75x5.75x6 |
Original Price: |
$10.45 |
Tubes: 35L6, 35Z4, 12SQ7, 12SK7, 12SA7 |
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Today
this radio is known as the "candy cane" model but Sears called
it the "Commentator" and described it as "Beautiful
Onyx". It's cabinet is unusual in the fact that
it slides down over the chassis. It was very successful for Sears and came in several
varieties as well as colors. In a brochure Sears offered "easy
pay of $2 down and $2 a month".
|
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Silvertone
Model: |
7002 |
Year: |
1941 |
Dimensions: |
8x5x6 |
Original Price: |
$8.49 |
Tubes: 35L6, 35Z5, 12SA7, 12SQ7, 12SK7 |
|
|
This set is unusual
not so much because of its material but because it is a rare "left hand"
model. As far as I know it was the only left handed model made in beetle. |
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Silvertone
Model: |
3261 |
Year: |
1940 |
Original Price: |
|
$12.45 |
Dimensions: |
11x6.5x7 |
Tubes: 6
|
|
|
Another example of a
Silvertone beetle cabinet. It's grill is made of tenite plastic. Tenite tends to warp
under even mild heat, so, because of tube heat, most examples of this model have at least
some grill warpage. Sears described this sets beetle as "Rich
Onyx Color". |
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Sonora
Model: |
TW-49 |
Year: |
1939 |
Dimensions: |
11x6x6.5 |
Tubes: 35Z5,
35L6, 12SA7, 12SK7, 12SQ7 |
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|
|
This extreme designed
radio is very rare and desirable. As you can see it is not a rectangle as with most
radios but "bulges" out in the front. It rates right up there with my
favorite beetle sets. |
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Sonora
Model: |
366-O |
Year: |
1936 |
Original Price: |
$19.95 |
Dimensions: |
10x5x6.25 |
Tubes:
25Z5, 6D6, 6C6, 76, 43, 185R8 |
|
|
Thanks
to Richard Arnold for doing the research and sending me an ad about this set.
It is listed in the 1936 Harrison Wholesale Company Catalog along with the
bakelite version. The wholesale price was $11.96 |
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Truetone
Model: |
263-5R |
Year: |
1938 |
Dimensions: |
10x7x6.75 |
Tubes: 25Z5, 25L6, 6A7, 35Z5,
xx, xx |
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Another radio
manufactured by the Continental Radio Corp. It is one of the more rarer beetle sets. A
very similar beetle model came with push buttons. Check out my bakelite push button
version. |
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Western
Air Patrol
Model: |
157 |
Year: |
1940 |
Dimensions: |
10.25x6.5x5.25 |
Tubes: 5W4,
6A8, 6K7, 6F6, 6Q7 |
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The
cabinet of this set is somewhat similar to the Sonora radio on this page.
Probably from the same manufacturer, maybe Continental but I
don’t know for sure. This
set also has an unusual metal back. Similar
sets have a mesh wiring filling the holes on the back but I can find no
evidence of it on this set. |
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