VOLUME 17               SEPTEMBER 2000                NUMBER  9

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

From Antique Radio Classified for August 2000
(Copyright 1996-2000 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

The old saying that "variety is the spice of life" certainly applies to this issue of A.R.C. and to radio collecting in general. The interests of radio collectors are multiple -- from the traditional crystal, tombstone, and cathedral sets to paper documentation of radio history and to repair and restoration.

And, it doesn't stop there. Novelties like the Colonial "Globe" on our cover, tubes, vintage headphones, and foreign sets -- at least one, if not all, can become the passion of some vintage equipment collector. Just scan the photos in this issue, and you'll see what I mean.

Variety is even evident in the many museums now established across the country. In this issue, Chris Watts reports on the newly expanded Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut in East Hartford. Here the varied displays include not only radios, some with Connecticut history, but also early quartz crystals, test equipment, and telephones. Not to be missed is the Crosley refrigerator with a built-in radio.

And, don't forget that the New England Wireless and Steam Museum is in neighboring Rhode Island. Both are worth going out of your way to see, if you happen to be traveling in the area.

As always, Wally Worth is dogged in his pursuit of radio information. The history of his rare tombstone was difficult to ferret out, but we're glad to say that A.R.C. helped him in his research.

Another happy circumstance for A.R.C. is an article that grows out of earlier exchanges in the magazine. An inquiry from Mary Detsch about the Corbett Cabinet Manufacturing Company, founded by her grandfather, inspired Dale Davenport's article about Corbett. The deeper we delve, the more we know.

Scott Balderston's collection of headphones falls neatly into the theme of variety. Generic headphones are relatively inexpensive and widely available, while the search for those made by specific companies, such as Crosley, is more of a challenge. Scott obviously finds headphones fun to collect and to repair.

Loop antennas are striking in appearance and always stand out in any collection. Joseph Jackson's Korach antenna is no exception. Its built-in compass helps direct the antenna to a desired station.

Restoration and repair are primary interests for many of you. When the radio is a novelty like Edward Krawczyk's Colonial "Globe" radio, repair can be even more demanding. Edward describes the constraints of dealing with a chassis mounted in a globe rather than in a cabinet specifically designed for a radio. Read about his innovative solutions.

Robert Barr decided that a good substitute for the expensive 1L6 tube in a Zenith Trans-Oceanic G-500 would be the inexpensive 1R5. His inspiration, we're glad to say, was the A.R.C. articles on this subject in the January 1997 and March 1998 issues.

Prompted by Richard Begbie's January 2000 article on the Atwater Kent driver problem, Nick van Vonno came up with a good solution for a similar problem -- a Sears oil filter wrench. Nick also brings Zen into the discussion, but that's another story.

Variety in types and sizes of meets is illustrated in the three described this month. Ted Miller reports on the 3-day Carolinas Chapter of AWA spring meet, which included all the major happenings expected at such a large event -- a flea market, programs, an old equipment contest, and an auction.

George Potter reports on the VRPS spring auction in Grapevine, Texas, also a quality event. Over 200 attended and proceeds totalled $22,210. On a smaller scale was the AWA spring meet in Bloomfield, New York, reported by Larry Babcock. Larry reminds us that the occasional find and the camaraderie make small meets as enjoyable as large ones.

John Hagman expresses a similar sentiment in his comparison of a New Hampshire meet with eBay. The personal touch is definitely missing on eBay.

Among the unusual sets pictured in Photo Review are the Efescaphone "Nelson Grand" radio and the Philco 49-901. This latter set has a unique roller across the front for both tuning and volume control.

So many informative and/or amusing letters come to the editor for Radio Miscellanea that it's not always easy to choose. Stan Lopes offers a tip and promised us that we can look forward to more. The topic of "Radio Wives" has surfaced again, and there is news from the marketplace, as well as, yes, the dump.

The Internet. Subscribers are enjoying the timely posting of current classified ads. We continue to put up ads from previous months for nonsubscribers -- a practice that benefits all. Be sure to check the site about 10 days before the end of the month to find out the date the new ads will be posted.

Coming Radio Events. The fall meet season is in full swing and includes these multiday September events: the Southeastern Antique Radio Society's Fall Swap Meet in Georgia, the Houston Vintage Radio Association's Mega Auction in Texas and the Antique Wireless Association's 39th annual conference in New York. A.R.C. will be at AWA, so please stop by to say, "hi"!

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

PRINTED WITHOUT COMMENT

A.R.C. has received reports from four individuals who have sent funds to Paul Etheridge of Missouri. They did not receive the items for which they paid. Two problems were rectified after considerable effort. A.R.C. serves as a clearinghouse for complaints if readers have not been able to resolve the problem themselves.

ON THE COVER

Our cover features the Colonial "Globe" radio, ca. 1933, the subject of Edward Krawczyk's article on page 14. The electronics of this striking set are split between the base and the globe. We greatly appreciate the quality of Edward's photo, which made it a good cover candidate.