Bakelite radio page

Bakelite Radios

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Airline

Model:	62-386
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	13x6.5x8.5
Tubes:

This radio is made of black bakelite. It is unusual for a few reasons - first is the tuning eye, relatively rare in plastic models, next is the "tele-dial" which is used to dial to preset stations. Also, this radio is finished on all sides, so the tubes are accessed by lifting the cabinet off the chassis.

"Black Bakelite"

Airline

Model:	04BR-508A
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	11x6x6.5
Original Price:	$8.95
Tubes: 35Z5, 35L6, 12SA7,12SK7, 12SQ7

This radio was made by the Belmont Corporation. It has four push buttons, an off / on switch above them and the tuning knob is located on the right side.

Airline

Model:	93WG-542A
Year:	1939
Dimensions:	12.25x7x7.5
Original Price:	$18.50
Tubes:

This set was manufactured by the Wells-Garner Corporation, which is now known for it's strong machine age designs. It is unusual for its tuning eye, rare in a bakelite cabinet, and thumb wheel tuning.

Airline

Model:	93WG-6A26
Year:	1939
Dimensions:	11.25x7x8
Original Price:	$13.95
Tubes: 35Z5, 35L6, 12SQ7, 12SA7, 12SK7

This set is very similar to the one above. The only difference in the chassis is that the above radio has the speaker at an angle to handle the curve.

Airline

Model:	84BR-1507
Year:	1948
Dimensions:	12.25x6x7
Tubes: 35Z5, 35L6, 12SQ7, 12SA7, 12SD6

Also made by the Belmont Corporation, the chassis in this model is very similar to the 6D111 above.

Airline

Model:	04BR-514
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	10.75x6x7
Tubes:

A popular set for a couple of years still showing the machine age style popular in the late 30's.

Automatic

Model:	8-15
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	11x6x6.5
Tubes:

An exceedingly rare set, this is the only example I have ever seen. It is made of Durez not Bakelite and is therefore somewhat more brittle. Radio Retailing Magazine listed it in their June, 1937 issue with four colors offered - black, walnut, white and red.

"Black"

Belmont

Model:	6D-111
Year:	1938
Dimensions:	12.25x6x7
Tubes: 35Z5, 35L6, 12SQ7, 12SA7, 12SD6

A classic among deco radios this set is quite possibly the ultimate in machine age design. By the way, it is highly sought after.

Colonial

Model:	300
Year:	1933
Original Price	$30
Dimensions:
Tubes: 25Z5, 6A7, 78, 75, 43

This is set is one of, if not THE first "plastic" radios ever produced. The material is not bakelite but "Durez" made similarly to bakelite but due to the extreme heat and pressure involved only came in black.

Coronado

Model:	527
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	11x6.5x7
Tubes:

This is another great machine age radio from Belmont. Coronado used the same model number as Belmont on this set. It is simply a beautiful radio.

Emerson

Model:	CR-274
Year:	1939
Dimensions:	9x4x5.5
Tubes:

Check out the similarities between this set and the plaskon Emerson D-Grill. The bodies are identical except for the dial opening. Which do you think is more attractive?

Emerson

Model:		108
Year:		1935
Original Price		$24.95
Dimensions:		7x9.25x5
Tubes:

I love this radio. It too is very desirable among collectors. It has a molded bakelite back which only adds to its appeal. Check out the plaskon version in that category.

Radio Retailing Magazine - December, 1935
Model 108. . . $24.95
5-tube AC-DC 2-Band
Superheterodyne in Bakelite Cabinet

Emerson

Model:	BM-206?
Year:	1941
Dimensions:	9.5x5.5x7
Original Price	$9.95
Tubes:

This radio is, to me rather plain. Being of a very common style of the 40's the design has almost no machine age look. I put a question mark beside the model because I can't seem to find a definitive mark on the radio.

Emerson

Model:	157
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	7.75x6x7.25
Original Price	$14.95
Tubes:

This was a very small set for its time. Also unusual was it's design having front, middle and back parts to the cabinet.

Emerson

Model:	20A
Year:	1933
Dimensions:	9x4.5x7
Original Price:	$17.95
Tubes:

This set is among my favorites and is also very rare and coveted by collectors. It has a molded bakelite back which only adds to its desirability.

Emerson

Model:	BA-199
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	9.5x5.5x7
Original Price	$9.95
Tubes:

A very popular set then and now. It reminds me of the U5A, I guess because of the round dial.

Radio Retailing Magazine - March, 1938
Model BA-199. . . $9.95
5-tube AC-DC
Superheterodyne in Bakelite Cabinet

Emerson

Model:		19
Year:		1935
Original Price		$19.95
Dimensions:		9.5x5.25x7
Tubes:

Here's another Emerson similar to the 20A, BA-199 and the 109. Emerson called this set the "Miracle 6" because of its six tube SOUND - but it only came with four tubes! What a marketing ploy. This set also came in black with the lines going through the knobs being covered in chrome (model 17).

Emerson

Model:		109
Year:		1935
Original Price		$17.95
Dimensions:		9.5x5.25x7
Tubes:

Another beautiful radio from Emerson. This one is very similar to the 20A and the BA-199.

Radio Retailing Magazine - December, 1935
Model 109. . . $17.95
4-tube AC-DC
Superheterodyne in Bakelite Cabinet

Emerson

Model:	149
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	13x6.5x7
Original Price	$29.95
Tubes:

This particular set is battery powered. It is fairly uncommon to see a "farm set" in bakelite. The only other unusual thing about this radio is that the cabinet has three parts - front, middle wrap over and back.

Fada

Model:	246-W
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	17x8x9
Tubes:

This large radio is a very collectible set partly because of its molded back and the many variations and colors it came in.

Fada

Model:	740
Year:	1947
Dimensions:	8.5x4.5x4.75
Tubes:

This little radio is somewhat plain looking and, to me, reminds me of several models from the late 40's. I have the plaskon version also. You can find it in the Plaskon section.

Fada

Model:	790
Year:	1948
Dimensions:	14.5x7x8.5
Tubes:

This popular Fada has very deco styling typical of the late 1930's even though it was first sold in 1948. It was one of the first bakelite radios to have the modern "FM" band available. Check out my plaskon version of this radio.

Fada

Model:	F44
Year:	1941
Dimensions:	8.75x4.75x5.25
Tubes:

This is a rather small radio with typical 40's lines. I have never seen this model listed in any collector's books but the label on the bottom plainly states "44".

Fada

Model:	209
Year:	1941
Dimensions:	9.25x5.5x6
Tubes:

This little set is more typical of the 1940's. It's cousin the plaskon Fada 148 has a handle and different knobs.

Fada

Model:	450-W
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	10x6x7
Original Price	12.95
Tubes:

This is a favorite set of mine. It was obviously patterned after the highly successful Silvertone 4500 series. The cabinet slides over the top of the chassis on this set.

Fada

Model:	260-W
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	11x5.75x7.5
Tubes:

This set is one of the more common of the prewar bakelite Fadas. It is still a very desirable set because of its Varity of colors, including "Chinese red" which is extremely rare and costly.

Note - The "W" in the model number stands for Walnut on Fada models.

Fada

Model:	360-W
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	11x5.75x7.5
Tubes:

This radio is one of the most common Fada prewar bakelite sets. It too came in a Varity of colors including some with chrome or brass grills.

Fada

Model:	203
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	11x5.5x7.5
Tubes:

This model's grill area has an unusual deco design. I have also seen this same cabinet design with a Lafayette logo on it.

Fada

Model:	Unknown
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	11x5.5x7.5
Tubes:

Compare this set with the one above. Besides this one being black and the 203 brown, they are almost identical except for the grill area. The designer must have been under pressure to produce several models in a short period of time.

"Black Bakelite"

Farnsworth

Model:	AT-10
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	11x5.5x7.5
Tubes: 35Z5, 50L6, 12K7, 12SA7, 12SK7

This is the only radio from Farnsworth that I own. It was a very popular model and came in several variations including beetle and with pushbuttons.

General Electric

Model:	H-500
Year:	1939
Dimensions:	9x4.75x5.75
Tubes:

Occasionally known as the "turbine" this was a very popular design in the late 30's and still is today for collectors. It came in several variations including molded backs, buttons, plaskon and beetle.

General Electric

Model:	54
Year:	1939
Dimensions:	13x7.75x9.5
Tubes:

This radio is classic deco and also comes with a molded back unusual for a radio of such a large size.

General Electric

Model:	H-620
Year:	1939
Dimensions:	10.5x6.25x7.25
Tubes:

I'm not sure if the white knobs are original or not. This set, because of the three knobs and four pushbuttons below the dial made this set cost a little more and therefore much rarer than the common H-600.

Grantline

Model:	500-A
Year:	1946
Dimensions:
Tubes:

This small set is the only example of this radio I have ever seen. I would love to find a perfect one as this one has a bad chip out of it's right side.

Grantline

Model:	504-7
Year:	1941
Dimensions:
Tubes:

This was the first bakelite radio I owned. It has a trapezoid shape, being wider at the top than bottom. Grantline was the brand name for radios sold by the W.T. Grant stores.

Kadette

Model:	H
Year:	1934
Dimensions:	8.5x4x6.5
Tubes:

This is a fine example of bakelite use in an early radio cabinet design. It came with a molded back and in a variety of colors. The off / on switch is an up down type in the lower middle.

Kadette

Model:	41 "Jewel"
Year:	1934
Dimensions:	8.5x4x6.5
Tubes:

This is another of Kadette's very collectible radios. It came in many colors including peanut butter, lavender and red.

Radio Retailing Magazine - September, 1935
Model 109. . . $13.50
4-tube AC-DC
Superheterodyne in Bakelite Cabinet

Knight

Model:	Unknown
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	13x7x7
Original Price:	$13.95
Tubes: 43, 25Z5, 6D6, 6C6, L49C

This radio has an unusual tuning knob location being in the middle of the dial itself. I have seen several of these sets with the plastic dial so worn the numbers are gone. It also came in several colors including white, black and red. This cabinet was also used for a two knob set with the manufacturers simply employing a “punch-out” system. See the similar RED set in my Plaskon section.

Lafayette

Model:	D-73
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	13x7x7
Original Price:	$13.95
Tubes:

This is an extreme "bullet" design made by the Continental Corporation. I have seen two other names on this same cabinet design.

Lafayette

Model:	A11-21
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	9.5x5x7.25
Tubes: 25L6, 25Z6, 6J7, 6J7, L55B

I believe this radio to be manufactured by Wells Garner. It has a well worn stick-on "Lafayette" label below the grill bars. The dial has the word "Superhetrodyne" near the bottom.

Philco

Model:	PT-46
Year:	1946
Dimensions:
Tubes:

This model Philco is the only tabletop one in my collection. I like it because of it's very deco design and push button location. Although this radio was made after the war, the design was first put into production in 1939.

Silvertone

Model:		4760
Year:		1937
Original Price
Dimensions:
Tubes:

This is a very uncommon radio in today's radio collecting circles. It seems that the knobs were poorly designed because most of the examples I have seen are missing at least one. I had to even reproduce one for this set. This model can also be found in Plaskon.

"Black"

Silvertone

Model:		7000
Year:		1947
Original Price		$7.49
Dimensions:
Tubes:

Another radio sold by the Sears Roebuck and Company. I like it because it's a left handed model and I have the beetle version which makes good bookends.

Silvertone

Model:	6405
Year:	1946
Original Price:	$8.45
Dimensions:	7.75x5x5
Tubes:

This set is unusual because the chassis is suspended upside down. The design didn't have much success because of heat problems. This particular radio is made of black bakelite, which for me, was very difficult to photograph.

In an original advertisement Sears described this set as "Gleaming Black Bakelite"

Silvertone

Model:	6409
Year:	1940
Original Price:	$9.95
Dimensions:	8.75x6.5x6.5
Tubes: 35Z5, 35L6, 12A8, 12K7, 12Q7

Another Silvertone set with an “upsidedown” chassis design. This set also has a very close “brother” in the model 6407 with the only difference I can find being a slightly different dial design.

Skyrover

Model:	6028
Year:	1938
Dimensions:
Tubes:

This is one of my favorite bakelite radios made by the Belmont Corporation. I don't know much about the Skyrover name on the front. See the Goodyear set in the plaskon section.

"Black Bakelite"

Stewart Warner

Model:	A51-T3
Year:	1947
Dimensions:	9.5x3.5x4.75
Tubes: 35W4, 50B5, 12BE6, 12BA6, 12AV6

Also known as the "Air Pal" this radio is oval in shape, the off / on and tuning knobs are on the top.

Stewart Warner

Model:	B51-T1
Year:	1948
Dimensions:	9.5x3.5x4.75
Tubes: 35W4, 50B5, 12BE6, 12BA6, 12AV6

Built on the same chassis as the radio above this bakelite set was factory painted. It is one of only a couple of painted radios I own and I won it at a raffle.

Travler

Model:	5060A
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	10.5x6.75x6.75
Tubes:

I believe this radio to be manufactured by Wells Garner. It has a well worn stick-on "Lafayette" label below the grill bars. The dial has the word "Superhetrodyne" near the bottom.

"Black Bakelite"

Truetone

Model:	D-702
Year:	1937
Dimensions:	10.75x6.25x7
Tubes:

This radio is a very collectible set partly because of the black and chrome design and molded back. Another interesting note it that it was designed to either stand up or lay on its side.

"Black Bakelite"

Truetone

Model:	D-2015
Year:	1940
Dimensions:	11x6x8
Tubes:

This set, a fairly common one is somewhat similar to the Airline model 04BR-514 in shape. This one is a good bit bigger though and has six push buttons instead of five. I think both were made by the Belmont Corporation.

Truetone

Model:	D276-5Q
Year:	1939
Dimensions:	10.5x5.25x6.75
Tubes:

I like this radio because of the top push buttons. And because I have the set in its beetle version.

Truetone

Model:	D-2815
Year:	1942
Dimensions:	13.5x6x8
Tubes:

This radio shows less "aerodynamic" styling of the 30's and moves toward the more symmetrical 40's.

Truetone

Model:	D-713
Year:	1938
Dimensions:	11x5.5x7
Tubes:

Another Belmont radio, this time sold to the Western Auto stores for their Truetone line.

Zenith

Model:	6D-311
Year:	1938
Dimensions:	10.75x6.5x6.5
Original Price	$14.95
Tubes:

This radio, possibly their most radical cabinet design, is one of the very few Zenith plastic sets that I own. This same cabinet was used for the more desirable 6D-315 known for its "wave magnet" antenna.

Radio Retailing Magazine - June, 1938
Model 6D-311. . . $17.95
Bakelite Cabinet - $14.95
Ebony or Ivory - $17.95

Zenith

Model:	5R-312
Year:	1941
Dimensions:	12.5x6x7.5
Original Price	$14.95
Tubes:

This is one of the very few Zenith bakelite tabletop radios I own. Zenith modified this model slightly to incorporate popular pushbuttons.

Zenith

Model:	6D-516
Year:	1938
Dimensions:	12x6.25x8
Tubes:

Compare this radio with Zenith's 5R-312. Although they look similar, their chassis and cabinets are completely different..

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