VOLUME 17               NOVEMBER 2000                NUMBER  11

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

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

Hold a major old radio event and they will come. And come they did, close to 1,000 of them, to the annual Antique Wireless Association Conference. Complain though we might about its imperfections, this is still the premier vintage radio event of the year, drawing the largest domestic, as well as international clientele.

Why do they come? Because of the wide range of offerings, from no fewer than four auctions to a giant flea market, seminars, a banquet, even a sightseeing tour. Also, an exhibit of equipment and related memorabilia from a particular company -- this year, the Crosley Corporation -- can be a real learning experience. And, not the least of the overall pleasures is the camaraderie of one-on-one contact with like-minded folks.

In all, the annual AWA Conference is not to be missed, and we're grateful to Ray Chase and Ludwell Sibley for their reports. Though the quantity of items offered at auction was somewhat down, the quality was there, with a number of items bringing $1,000 or more.

Thanks to Jim Clark, we have an excellent report on Extravaganza 2000 in Lansing, Michigan. Certainly one of the major meets of the year, Extravaganza has its own character. In general, an effort is made to create a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. For example, activities are scheduled with emphasis on the weekend and are open to all. And the free, informal social hour draws a larger percentage of attendees than banquets do.

George Freeman's welcome report on the IHRS meet proves that an event doesn't have to be large to be a success. This meet has a flea market, a luncheon, an auction -- all smaller in scale but equally enjoyable.

Sometimes it takes a while for a major topic to surface again on our pages. This time it took 13 years -- 13 years since Norman Braithwaite wrote in the July 1987 issue about his rare Scott Quaranta radio. Now Jacques DuBois reports on his great find of a Scott Quaranta tuner. Jacques' tale of reproducing other components with authentic Scott parts is a tour de force (as they say in France).

It's always a pleasure to report on a radio mystery solved. Ray Bintliff brings together the information supplied by Dale Davenport, Ed Sheldon, and Dick Parks about Dick's "Mystery Tuner " in the August 1999 Photo Review. We encourage more sleuthing from all quarters -- the more we know, the richer the radio history.

Two striking items jump off the page in Photo Review this month. One is a conch shell horn speaker; the other is an unusual vertical cone speaker that might, in fact, be a microphone. And, Radio Miscellanea letters pick up on the theme of increased outreach to the general public through more open meets and through A.R.C.'s plan to appear on the newsstands. We also stand corrected on our television coverage.

The Internet. Our Web site continues to be popular, as it receives over 50,000 page views a month. Check the site and read the ads as soon as they are released.

Coming Radio Events. The fall meet season is in full gear with 40 events scheduled for November. Of particular note this month are the VRPS Convention in Irving, Texas, and the SCARS annual 2-day meet in Carlsbad, California. Try to make it to one of the many fall meets this month -- you'll be glad you did.

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

ON THE COVER

Our cover this month celebrates Crosley, the theme of this year's AWA Conference. Owned by R.W. Schaumleffel, this Crosley "Bandbox Jr." topped by a decorative Type D Musicone speaker, won a 1st in the "Metal Box Set" category in the contest. Yes, you also saw a Musicone speaker in Photo Review last month

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