VOLUME 16               APRIL 1999                NUMBER   4

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

From Antique Radio Classified for April 1999
(Copyright 1996-9 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

Though antique radio collectors usually look to the past, the two young Fields boys on our cover suggest that we can also dream of a future for our avocation. Engrossed in Blake Dietze's tale of early wireless at the fall VRPS Convention, Christopher, age nine, and Nicholas, age seven, may well represent a new generation dedicated to the preservation of radio equipment and radio history. What better focus for April, the first issue of spring, than youth and a possible beginning of a passion for antique radios!

And to pursue another April theme a bit of foolery we digress from the facts of our standard articles to fiction. The reprint of a humorous story by Canadian writer Stephen Leacock seemed to be the perfect proxy for a serious Internet article. Just substitute "Internet" for the word "radio," and you'll agree that things rarely change they just reinvent themselves in new trappings.

After passing over April Fool's Day for a few years, we have accumulated several worthy candidates for publication. Charles Muller's story of the Phule Company's duo light bulb and Richard Parks' tale of his development of a line-operated 1-tube radio round out our April Antics for this year.

The Freshman Polydyne, the subject of our lead article by Dale Davenport, has caught the interest of many readers since our first coverage of it in the June 1997 issue. Even Radio Miscellanea this month contains a letter on the subject. The five filament windings and the colorful cabinet, in which some versions of the Polydyne are contained, seem to be the intriguing factors. Dale's focus is on his plain metal-box version and its apparent modifications.

Dave Crocker, known for years as "The Crosley Collector," writes a short bit on one of the few sets he has retained from his collection, now residing at the Crosley Museum in Florida. It is hard to believe that the Model VIII shown was once a basket case.

The passing of Frank Krantz a few months ago was a shock to all of us who had grown to feel that we knew him through his ads in A.R.C., even though we had never met him in person. Ray Bintliff, however, did visit him a few years ago and wrote a "Collector's Profile" for our March 1997 issue. This month, Ray writes a short tribute and includes a few photos from his earlier article. An auction of the Krantz collection is scheduled for April 24-25.

Many may not realize that Frank introduced us to what has become an icon for the hobby the artwork of Bill Bell which adorns the covers of the four editions of Marty and Sue Bunis' Collector's Guide to Antique Radios. Frank suggested that A.R.C. use it for a cover back in October 1985, and we used it again in June 1989, this time in full color. As a result of seeing A.R.C.'s cover, Marty and Sue chose Bell's work for their price guides.

George Potter reports on the Texas VRPS-AWA Annual Convention held last fall. Records were broken again with over $61,000 in total bids. With only two items selling for over $1,000, this Dallas-area club does it by sheer quantity more than 1,000 items were sold over the 3-day event.

It was "business only" at the auctions for radio collector and professional auctioneer Michael Sherman, as the pace was nearly two items per minute. If the opening bid was not met, the item was passed. After all, there is always more stuff awaiting the hammer. Excellent seminars, a banquet, a flea market and a contest rounded out this popular affair.

Of note in Photo Review this month is a 1926 book on television by Englishman Alfred Dinsdale. In an earlier book on the subject Vision by Radio published in America in 1925, C. Francis Jenkins did not use the word "television," though we now know that television is, in fact, "vision by radio."

Correspondence in Radio Miscellanea includes identification of the disk-shaped radio pictured in the Mason Estate Auction report in the March 1999 issue and in the February 1997 Photo Review. Reader feedback on advertiser problems and on volume control lubrication is also included.

Looking back again on our first year, we've chosen to reprint another of Frank Heathcote's "Collectors Corner" articles this one from the January 1985 issue. A prolific contributor to A.R.C., Frank wrote about the 1930-1931 Pilot S-155 "Midget," a 6-tube TRF radio. An uncommon set with unusual styling, this was, indeed, a worthy collectible.

15th Year Specials. We continue our discounts on full-year back issues. And, the 15th year subscription rates are the standard rates for 1999.

Internet. It seems as if we never will complete the work on our expanded internet site, but rest assured, it will happen, and it will be announced here. But, don't wait until then to get on-line. Our site already has hundreds of pages of past articles from A.R.C., and Coming Radio Events is updated monthly. Also, you can order books, videos and renew your subscription quickly on our site.

Coming Radio Events. Over 40 events for the collector are listed this month. Multiday events include an antique radio exposition in Portugal, the Colorado Radio Collectors Annual Show, the Military Radio Collectors Group Meet in California, and the Frank Krantz Estate auction in New Jersey.

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

ON THE COVER

On our cover, Blake Dietze engages the interest of the next generation of collectors, Christopher and Nicholas Fields, with the contest display of an early wireless set against the drama of the Titanic. As a cover choice, this photo was irresistible in its suggestion that antique radio collecting will be alive and well in the 21st century.