[Boatanchors] 20s-30s-40s Home Radio Market Collapse

[David Stinson]

For those of us who collect "home" wooden radios like the cathedrals

or those pretty "furniture" 1920s battery sets, this is either time for

you to cry over lost money or smile over inexpensive treasures.

 

The last three large live auctions (with bidders all over via the net)

which I've attended, nice-condition 1920s battery sets * most with tubes*

rarely break $30, with the exception of Zeniths.  Most of them go

$11-$25.  Cathedrals, save the "rare ones," even in nice condition,

usually go $20-$45.  Table radios are somewhere in between.  

Nice Navy HRO with doghouse and four coils got no bids.  Good

complete but unrestored NC-100 went for $22. 

There are still some "jewels-" a TV-7 went for $330.

And there were some others, like SW-3s, that still hold some 

value.  But, as the generation that wanted them when young passes

into twilight,  most of the demand for these consumer sets seems to

have gone with them, at least at "live" sales.

I might get a couple of those 20s battery "furniture" radios 

now that they are cheap;  I like the look.

 

  Here's a link for the latest local live auction (with national Internet
access)

 

http://www.icollector.com/Another-Great-Radio-Phonograph-Auction_as48700?ps=
100

 

Radios, like all collectables, follow a Bell Curve of valuation.

"All good things.."