The Notables - The Best of the 1920's
Federal Telephone & Telegraph Model 61 - 1924
The Federal radios were among the premium radios manufactured in the 1920's and this monster with sixteen dials and knobs may have been the largest tabletop radio produced in this era. It measures 23.75 x 16.5 x 11.75 inches. If you know of a larger one, let me know! The sign at the left is 3.5 x 5 inches for comparison.
With a one dial primary tuning control knob, the Federal 61 receiver used three stages of radio frequency amplification and two stages of audio amplification. The set covers the 225 to 550 meters wavelength.
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The Federal 61 uses a six tube line up, one UV-200 and five UV- 01a tubes.
Grebe Synchophase MU-1 radio - 1925 ( Grebe, A.H. & Company of Richmond Hill, New York)
Beautiful Radio Design
Grebe, A.H. & Company introduce the MU-1 in 1924. The one pictured here is a 1925 mid year update when the three dials were chained together to synchronize tuning.
The Pinnacle
Grebe produced many great radios, many collectors consider the MU-1 their best for design and performance.
Five Tube Line Up
Five UX- 01a tubes or four 01a tubes with a UX-112a or UX-171a as an audio amplifer tube.
Crosley PUp (Sky terrier) radio - 1925 (Crosley Radio Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio
Cheap - $9.75
Originally sold for $9.75, the Pup is a TRF radio with regeneration.
Easy To Remember Tube Line-Up
The Pup was designed to use the WD-12 tube. As far as I know this radio and the Crosley SR2 (a radio manufactured for Sears sold as the Type2) were the only radios designed specifically for this tube, which unfortunately was not a great tube. Substituting an 01a or similar later model tube improves the performance of this radio.
The "Sky Terrier"
This little radio is very popular among collectors and one in good condition can sell for over $400.00, not bad for a cute but relatively poor performing radio.
Deforest Interpanel Mr-6 radio - 1922 (Deforest Radio telephone and telegraph company, New York city, New York)
A Four Part Radio
The MR-6 consists of a Multi Wave Tuner (MT-200), Audion Control Panel (MP-100), plus two One Step Audio Amplifiers (MP-200). The radio uses a three tube line-up consisting of a UV-200 detector and two UV-201 amplifier tubes.
A Long Restore
This particular radio restoration ran about 6 months (on and off) until it was running. Both transformers were rewound by Heyboer Transformer in Michigan and great assistance in restoring this radio was rendered by Charles (Chas) Days and others from the Antique Radio Forum. Was it worth it? It certainly was.
Deforest/Radio-Craft
Deforest Radio Company bought a bankrupt company in 1922 called Radio-Craft to obtain their Armstrong License so they could produce radios with regeneration. This radio was sold under the Radio-Craft label and does have regeneration.
Rca Radiola III - 1924 Manufactured by RCA Victor Company, New York City, New York
A Top Seller
One of the most popular radios sold in the 1920s with a selling price of $24.50, which is why so many are still around today, 95 years later!
The Tubes
The Radiola III is a broadcast band radio with TRF tuning, and regeneration in a single AF stage. Designed for the WD-11 tube, the tube sockets have a four pin pattern with the unusual one large pin and three smaller pin layout. Later RCA recommended the use of two UX-199 tubes for better reception of weak signals or one UX-199 and one UX-120 for better amplification, both tubes required adapters to fit the tube sockets in the Radiola III.
Barkelew Switch
That funny switch hanging over the side of the radio is a Barkelew switch. The antenna wire on the Radiola III had to be moved around to pick up different parts of the broadcast band. The Barkelew switch, an after market product, eliminated having to move the antenna wire around. With the switch all you had to do was adjust the two knobs to move up and down the BC band.
The switch was manufactured by Barkelew Electric Manufacturing Company, 1905 Columbia Avenue, Ohio. It was founded in 1904 when Charles S. Barkelew started the company. The Barkelew Electric Manufacturing Company manufactured switches and other electrical devices for industrial use.