VOLUME 24               OCTOBER 2007                NUMBER  10

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

From Antique Radio Classified for October 2007
(Copyright 1996-2007 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

Sometimes the unusual comes our way, and we have to sit up and take notice. This was the case with Daniel Schoo's huge article on the restoration of his rare Golden-Leutz Universal Transoceanic "Phantom Type 9." I can't recall having received an article of this length presented in such meticulous detail and accompanied by such good step-by-step photos. Of course, we are grateful to Dan and delighted to publish his work in this issue.

As we all know, a collector's next project is not always predictable. Dan admits that the Golden-Leutz was not of primary interest to him, as 1930s-1940s wood table models had always been his focus. But, when a collector is committed to antique radios, he takes every opportunity to enhance his collection and to preserve radio history. Dan obviously pursues both these goals, and so he took up the challenge of the Golden-Leutz.

As an electrical design engineer, Dan was very qualified to undertake this restoration project. He left no stone unturned to perfect his final product, and his article takes us through every step of restoring his Phantom 9, both cosmetically and electrically.

Few of us would go into minute details such as disassembling the set to restore the finish on the panel and to polish the binding posts. Dan even disassembled the voltmeter to make minor adjustments to the indicator and went so far as to reproduce the cartridge-type resistors. Electrical testing was the final step. Take a look at the photo of Dan's extensive, incredibly neat test bench, a model for us all.

As I said earlier, such a detailed article about the restoration of one set hasn't come our way very often, if at all. However, we believe that many of Dan's restoration techniques are applicable to similar projects and will be a useful reference for those of you engaged in such activities.

Not only did Dan do the extensive work, but he also documented it carefully, took pictures before and after, and submitted the finished article to us! This is the kind of collaboration A.R.C. hopes for in order to continue our mission of disseminating as much information as possible to our readership.

When it comes to sharing information, Richard Arnold is a faithful contributor. This time he started out to write about his Sentinel Model 344, but an ad for a Sentinel "Treasure Chest" caught his interest, and he was off on another hunt. Richard not only describes an interesting set but also proves how old ads can have lasting effects.

Some articles have lasting effects also. We have more than one follow-up to articles published in the last year, and we intend to include them as space allows. Loren Ashworth responded to Nick Gent's November 2006 article on a rare wire recorder with information about one of the infrequent sightings of these recorders in his own long experience -- a Silvertone radio and wire recorder.

Loren reminds us that you never know what might be found on wire recordings, as opposed to commercially produced recordings. Since the wire recordings were used in homes, something like the 1948 World Series might show up, as it did on the Silvertone.

Photo Review always brings your new discoveries, as well as old standbys, to the fore. Any one of the items could capture your interest, but maybe some fellow collector will respond to Joe DiBari's plea for information on his American Bosch desk radio.

Auction reports are a prime source of information about what's out there in the marketplace. Once again Erwin Macho connects us to the European market through the Dorotheum Auction House in Vienna, Austria. Of course, most of the radios and related items were European sets, but two sets from the U. S. -- an Atwater Kent breadboard and an RCA Radiola 60 -- are described as "exotic types" in Europe and brought solid prices.

Once in a while, a collector sends a report about an off-the-beaten-path auction. We're grateful to Donald Swope for sharing his experience at the Mishler Auction of the Grote Collection in Hollsopple, Pennsylvania. Though Donald's listing is limited, his report brings home the fact that there are many potentially important auctions out there that we might miss. We rely on you collectors to keep us up-to-the-mark.

A.R.C. Benefits. Be sure to take advantage of A.R.C. benefits: a toll-free number (866) 371-0512; Discover, MasterCard, American Express, Visa accepted; the Web, www.antiqueradio.com; books shipped free in the U. S. by USPS media mail; and for current subscribers, a 10 percent discount on all book orders.

Coming Radio Events. Fall weather means more meets. There are 14 listed this month, along with 6 auctions, and 26 meetings. Your fellow collectors are looking forward to seeing you at one of these events at the very least.

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

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ON THE COVER

Our cover photo speaks for itself. It is Daniel Schoo in his characteristic hat displaying his Golden-Leutz Universal Transoceanic "Phantom 9." The set is the subject of Dan's major restoration project described in this month's lead article.