VOLUME 20               JANUARY 2003                NUMBER  1

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

From Antique Radio Classified for January 2003
(Copyright 1996-2002 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

New Year's Day with its lighthearted party spirit always suggests that the January issue join in the fun. Our lead article by Karen Pamula provides that opportunity. Karen describes the room in her home that contains the Pamulas' eclectic radio collection, a favorite place to escape the "hassles of the day." As the photos, including the one on our cover, show, many of the items in their collection are just plain fun. One example is the Radio Rex toy that is activated by the clap of hands. It's easy to imagine the fun of setting Rex in motion whenever you visit that room. Or perhaps for a little entertainment, young visitors would like to give the radio game pictured on our cover a try. Radio-related toys, novelties, and posters, displayed among the radios, not only give personal pleasure to a collector, but also make great conversation pieces. Karen's pleasure in her special room may inspire many of you to broaden your collecting interests.

And even if you don't have humor as a special aspect of your collection, it often creeps in unexpectedly. As we've noted in past articles, dogs and radios often seem to go together. A prime example is Bonzo, the George Studdy cartoon dog, that appeared on our June 2002 birthday cover. Also on that cover and the focus of Bonzo's birthday song is a radio that caught Joseph Jackson's eye and made him start to ask questions about his Marconi 55. This cover also inspired him to photograph his own home-grown Bonzo to give us all a few chuckles.

Not that Joseph's dog connection detracts from the seriousness of his subject. His primary purpose still was to get more information about his Marconi 55. More entertainment is provided by John Hagman in his account of a New England Antique Radio Collectors' meet in Nashua, New Hampshire. John seems to have a great time wherever he goes, if the theme is radio. And his tattoo is certainly a badge of radio dedication.

Shows and contests are among the most enjoyable forms of entertainment for collectors. The Puget Sound Antique Radio Association has a system of giving all members ballots to vote for choices rather than have judges do it. The result is a real participatory spirit at the meet.

Though we begin this issue on a light note, serious radio research is always "in" in any issue of A.R.C. For example, Steve Auyer has contributed a very detailed article on his yard-sale find -- a Bremer-Tully 6-41.

Steve explores in depth the electrical and acoustical design of the radio, as well as its physical construction and its circuitry. The chart showing the frequency vs impedance suspension is something you usually see only in hi-fi magazine product reviews. In all, this article is a testament to the serious side of collecting.

Alton DuBois knows the way to go when you're in serious pursuit of information about a piece of equipment -- try every possible avenue and don't give up. When he found a Coast Guard label inside his newly acquired transmitter, he began his search with the Antique Wireless Association's OTB, and then moved on to museums and fellow collectors. Alton demonstrates the satisfaction of acquiring documentation and validating your set.

Auctions are a serious aspect of collecting, but, for Ray Chase and his wife, they seem also to be a chief form of entertainment. Ray reports on the Hilker Auction of the Jones collection, only a portion of which was radios. A highlight was the Federal 59 selling at $1,050.

Dave Crocker reviews Buford and Jane Chidester's very nicely designed book Classic Cones. Now collectors have a beautiful book in color to complement Floyd Paul's long treasured Radio Horn Speaker Encyclopedia and Horn Speaker Notebook. Dave was obviously impressed with the book.

Whenever foreign sets are displayed among American sets, as in Photo Review this month, they always jump out as striking. The British Marconiphone "Baby" crystal set is a good example. On the American side, the Fada 196A is an unusual example of a phonograph panel receiver. And most of us who can remember the 1940s also remember a radio like the Zenith 525.

In Radio Miscellanea, we present some gems from our mailbag indicating that A.R.C. has a following, both pro and con. We appreciate the pro and wish that we could convince the con that what A.R.C. does is for the benefit of all in the hobby and merits support. Also, readers send warnings about certain glues, and material for a new book is solicited.

A.R.C. Benefits. The New Year means it's time to make a fresh start. Take advantage of A.R.C. benefits as often as possible: a toll-free number, (866) 371-0512; the Web: www.antiqueradio.com; Discover, Visa, American express, and MasterCard accepted; books shipped free in the U.S. by book rate; and to current subscribers, a ten percent discount on all book orders.

Coming Radio Events. Winter doesn't deter collectors from gathering at radio events. Thirty-seven are listed for January. Among the big ones are the 24th HVRA/AWA Convention and another Estes Auction. Be sure to start the new year right and attend at least one event near you.

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

ON THE COVER

Our cover is from a 1920s game entitled "Radio Game for Little Folks." The game is one of the radio-related novelties in the collection of Karen and Tom Pamula. In the full picture, the children tuning in to a 3-dialer battery set are surrounded by four circles, each of which contains the name of a major city: New York, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. Karen's article on her favorite room where their collection is displayed is our lead article this month.

Here's a larger version!