VOLUME 13                   JULY  1996                NUMBER  7

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

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

To New Englanders whose memories span the last half century or more, the words "Boston" and "Garden" are synonymous. Certainly, there are few who have lived their lives here who did not attend at least one event in that nostalgic arena -- if not a Celtics or Bruins game or the Ice Capades, then a concert or a university commencement. Our lead article on the 1929 Boston Radio Exposition by Dick Desjarlais reminds us that radios in the 1920s could pack 'em in as well as any rock star does today. The demise of Boston's "Garden" is a little like the passing of a family's big Philco floor model -- gone but never forgotten.

In another article mindful of how times have changed, Dwane Stevens explains how straight-line capacity, wavelength and frequency tuning is achieved in early battery sets. Ray Bintliff adds more details on the subject from A.R.C.'s library. The simplicity of tuning in a station on today's radios with their digital readouts helps us to forget how difficult it was to tune those old radios.

A radio built into a drawer is an unusual find. Joseph Wood describes such a radio -- the Magnavox Model T -- picked up at a garage sale. Seriously in need of repair, it is the subject of his well documented restoration article.

Chet Wisner contributes to Radio Ramblings this month with his fascinating story of a radio that he serviced in 1946. Chet's professional radio days go back to World War II. His long lists of radios and parts, which he offered for sale for many years, are remembered by collectors everywhere.

David Davies picks up on the observations of Geoff Shearer in his article "The Radio Collector -- in Four Stages" (February 1995, page 16). David describes a fifth stage -- the "boy radio bug" -- who today collects what he remembers from his boyhood years.

Three auctions are reported this month. The Harris Auction Center's sixth annual radio auction featured a Zenith Windcharger, which sold for $400, as well as the usual assortment of radios. A 26-tube Scott radio was the top item, bringing $1,450. The Vintage Radio & Phonograph Society's Annual Spring Auction hit a record total high of over $22,000, more than three times last year's total. Phonographs are often seen at this auction, and an Edison Amberola 30 with six cylinders brought $410.

The Whalen Auction Service's auction on May 17 attracted about 50 bidders. Among the battery sets, cathedrals, Bakelites and consoles, an ornate Zenith brought the top bid of $875.

Photo Review this month is an international gallery with sets from Canada, Japan and Germany, as well as the U. S. Radio Miscellanea includes a letter about a unique "radio" wedding, along with several letters from readers commenting about how A.R.C. works for them.

A.R.C. on the Web. If you are on-line, why not consider a visit to our informative site at http://www.antiqueradio.com/ on the World Wide Web? Although we do not make ads available there, we do post selections from each issue including the Coming Radio Events calendar, listing of clubs, book reviews, a feature article, editor's page, and Radio Miscellanea. We now have links to over 70 vintage radio sites. You might also consider using our interactive order form on the site for ordering and renewing subscriptions, and for ordering books and videos.

Late Ads. Several times a year I feel compelled to remind everyone that our classified ad deadline is noon, Eastern Time, on the tenth of the month. Since the typing of ads for the issue is complete soon after the noon deadline, we cannot take any more ads for the current issue without compromising our printing and mailing schedule. This month, 37 ads arrived on the 11th, many more than usual. Many of the ads had been mailed over a week earlier, but it can take a week or more for your ads to get here. Please mail them about the first of the month (even if you have not received your previous month's issue by then). This will almost insure that we receive them on time.

Ads also can be submitted by fax, overnight mail (FedEx, Express Mail, etc.) and by e-mail, but remember we still need them by noon, Eastern Time, on the tenth.

Coming Radio Events. The major July event is Extravaganza '96 in Lansing, Michigan! Grebe is the theme this year. In addition to the usual flea market, contest, and programs typical of major meets, this 3-day show has a fun social hour for all on Saturday night at no extra charge.

And block out the weeks before and after Labor day for the largest two U.S. shows -- Radiofest 1996 and the Antique Wireless Association Annual Conference. Full page ads for both of these events are in this issue. I hope to see many of you at one of these great events.

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

ON THE COVER

Dick Desjarlais' lead article about the 1929 Boston Radio Exposition was inspired by his discovery of a program for that event. The program cover, in turn, inspired our July cover. Many of the buildings depicted in this interesting collage are among the most famous Boston landmarks -- Faneuil Hall, the State House, the Custom House, etc. Center is the Garden itself, decorated with a radio antenna by an obviously inspired illustrator.