[Vintage-Radio] Value? (Radiola III)

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

Roy Morgan wrote:

> ** VINTAGE RADIO REFLECTOR - Please do NOT cross-post messages to 
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> message. **
>
> At 10:03 AM 6/8/03 -0400, W0DXZ@aol.com wrote:
>
>> I have several Radiola II IIIA some tih, some without tubes... what 
>> is their
>> approximate value? A ball park figure.
>
>
> Bob,
>
> At my antique radio club's annual big event on Friday, I saw one for 
> sale. It was a late model, with OUT tubes.  Asking price about $125.
>
> WITH GOOD tubes, *add* $150 to $200.  WD-11's that work are extremely 
> valuable.
>
> (Testing them requires a specially constructed tester.  The club's 
> newsletter some time ago had an article about such a thing one 
> collector has built.  See www.maarc.org for further info on this club 
> and it's newsletter "Radio Age".  Note: the newsletter accepts for 
> sale ads from non-menbers, I think.)
>
> Roy 

Roy is pretty much on the mark. I see them without tubes in nice shape 
*usually* from $50-$100 for the III, they're fairly plentiful still. 
Probably because they were easy to squirrel away in an attic or barn 
years ago and weren't as likely to get tossed. IIIA usually brings 
$50-$150 in nice shape, generally without tubes. You can get them with 
tubes included often for the same money, but it's more a case of really 
good luck. WD-11s, particularly the BBTT (Brass-base, tip-top) are 
anything but cheap or plentiful. Even the 'newer' bakelite base with the 
smooth top are not easy to locate.

Years ago I had a nice III which I traded to a college professor for 
(what I thought was) a scarce BC-455-B receiver. Knew nothing about it, 
it just looked cool and he offered to help me make it work on 115VAC. 
Silly me! At least I kept the only tube it had in it. Only paid $7 for 
it at a yard sale, but still....I'd love to have it here now with the 
IIIA, Sr. and balanced amp.

Live and learn....

de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ