Original Price 561.84 In Original Price 934.76 Introduced in June of 1937 for the 1838 model year. This scheme allows the radio to work if a lamp burns out. line of automobile radios, which I do not intend This classic "black dial" Zenith tombstone is a real jewel. three digit number the radio was built in later (If your radio can't tune to the target frequency, tune it to a multiple. As with most old cloths, it had faded somewhat in the areas exposed to light, but not so much as to merit replacement. 6V27), the radio was built for Take a look at the tube lineup. The fragile pointers seemed to be held on by friction and they were on very tight. On most old radios, a strong string drives the tuning capacitor. Antique radio. the type of cabinet, and ever where in the line-up I also have all original knobs now too. (20% off), Sale Price 505.66 Go for it. also note that the cabinet number falls very high After stripping, I carefully buffed the top smooth with very fine #0000 steel wool. Welcome to my home page of stuff that I collected and restored over the years. To attach the new belt, I needed to stretch it around the pulleys, trim one end to exactly the right length, then glue the ends together to make it back into a circle. This is not a put together Walton with mix and matched parts. Cleaning and recapping are standard practice, but solving the voltage problems added extra hours. Polishing only cleaned up the paint, however. Set where you live, what language you speak, and the currency you use. Historical artifact. The two SW bands work well also. Zenith made four different chassis to fit into this style cabinet (7J232, 7S232, 9S232 & 12S232). Lets start by examining the 1938 Zenith Walton. This is a showpiece! Content is for presentation purposes only. The number of tubes will be between 4 and 16 (the Research Used to be on occasion you would see one or two. This is an extremely rare 1938 Zenith model 15U271. 1930-1937 The Depression and the Rise of the Golden Age of Radio, 1945-1959 Post War Tube Radios-The Baby Boom Years. Zenith Model 6-S-254 Console Radio (1938) The 6-tube 3-waveband Zenith 6-S-254 (6S254) was intro- duced in June of 1937 as part of Zenith's line-up for the 1938 model year. cost of the radio. Add to Favorites Zenith Upright Antique Radio--1940's-Wavemagnet--LOCAL PICK-UP! It is a striking radio from top to bottom. What's more, in the course of playing with the tuning mechanism, I discovered that the dial pointers are spring-loaded. Even if it plays, it undoubtedly needs some repair before you put it into regular service. By the time I was done, the radio was playing beautifully and its dial tracking was right on the money. Five of the six tubes are 6-volt units, suitable for a radio designed to run on 6-volt DC power. Again, the blue arrow points to the shaft and the belt is placed loosely around the pulley. Manufactured by Zenith/Herman Miller. Etsys 100% renewable electricity commitment includes the electricity used by the data centers that host Etsy.com, the Sell on Etsy app, and the Etsy app, as well as the electricity that powers Etsys global offices and employees working remotely from home in the US. As for the cabinet, the ranges Despite new filter capacitors, there was still too much background hum. So it is truly a very rare Zenith radio. Unless you know what you're doing, randomly tampering with these delicate adjustments will likely mess up your radio in a serious way, requiring an embarrassing trip to an expert repairman. The cabinets mahogany veneer is beautifully restored with a flawless satin lacquer finish. Tube complement: 6K7G RF, 6L7G mixer, 6J5G oscillator, 6K7G IF, 6H6G detector, 6J5G 1st audio, 6J5G 2nd audio, 6J5G phase inverter, (2) 6V6G push-pull audio output, 6T5 tuning eye, 5Y4G rectifier. Another great 15 tube Zenith radio pictured above. For instance, my radio doesn't tune to 456 kilohertz, but it does tune to 912, double the target frequency.) Needless to say I got it put together and it looks great. Instead, they get rubber stock of the right diameter, cut it to the right length, wind the length around the pulleys, then super-glue the cut ends together. Cabinet: The book matched walnut veneered cabinet is beautifully finished with a near flawless lacquer finish. Autotransformer (variac), used to supply a precise voltage to the radio. The metal box atop the chassis has a switch on its back to select AC or DC operation. This six-tuber was just restored electronically with all capacitors replaced and any other components such as tubes and resistors replaced if tested bad or weak. Twelve (count 'em!) Original Price 1,475.94 So in terms of performance, it is "original," possibly even working closer to the designer's specs than when it left the factory. I purchased this radio from the daughter of the original owner. The chassis and round tube shields are painted with an attractive copper-colored hammertone finish. When all the color work was done, I sprayed on two final coats of clear lacquer, lightly buffing the last coat with #0000 steel wool to achieve a satin finish that doesn't look "too new.". It is my belief that the year used to date Original Price 389.00 could easily determine the number of tubes, the Read our Cookie Policy. This radio really set in motion Zenith's sales growth that took them from around the 10th largest radio manufacture to number two by 1942. year. for the cabinet styles are as follows: In our example, the 12S232 would be a 12 tube Sale Price 708.45 The preferred material seems to be rubber O-ring stock with a square, rather than round, cross-section. The finish is original and the grille cloth is a Zenith replacement. See what this one sold for + $150 shipping. It rattles objects in the room when played loud. The chassis on this one still has it's model stamp 271. An interesting side note, Zenith did continue to In the process, however, I learned more about this type of radio and added a few new items to my bag of repairman's tricks. This handsome set has earned a number of compliments from visitors. A brand new NOS green eye tube was installed to dress up its playing and viewing appearance. A gearing mechanism behind the dial transfers the belt's rotation to the tuning capacitor. I bought the Zenith it in December of 2012, after finding it on Craigslist. Original Price 737.97 The radio has had a complete recap electronic restoration - all the electrolytic caps were replaced with new production parts. Dial" radios and the numbering scheme which 1936 Zenith Radio, Marquis advertising metal sign, 2 Sizes, nostalgic vintage style home decor wall art, LGB PS The second segment of the model number revels Radio production kept rising and America's love for style and form had manufacturers continuing to upgrade products. The belt is made of layers of rubber-impregnated fabric, similar to the fan belt in your auto but much smaller. You will not be disappointed. in its range (00-39) indicating a rather expensive For you radio collectors 747.81, 934.76 Instead, I simply disconnected the old filters and left the cans in place to preserve the radio's original appearance. THE 1938 ZENITH 15U269 CONSOLE - DECO TO THE MAX By Kent Martin Of all radio manufacturers during the fabulous Art Deco design years of the 1930s and 1940s, one company that has always shone brightly is the Zenith Radio Corporation of Chicago. If the leading number is 1 (IE 5S128) the radio was built for the 1937 model year. To my delight, the belt worked perfectly! Charles Eames studies architecture at the Washington, At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal 1938 zenith for your home. It is sporting the fabulous "Motor Drive Robot Shutter Dial" and green tuning eye. The underside of the chassis is plated with copper, however, perhaps to allow good ground connections for electronic components. The knobs are the original wood Zenith knobs. 15 tube Zenith radios are not common and easy to find, but this model is the highest production model produced for the 1938 season. Well, why not? Should you ever come across a Zenith radio which Plays loud and clear as it should. Turning off the personalized advertising setting wont stop you from seeing Etsy ads or impact Etsy's own personalization technologies, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive. I found this radio in a small antique shop in El Paso TX behind 2 china cabinets and a pool table. The 15 tube model 15U246 pictured here to the right and a 12 tube model 12S245 as well. I purchased the empty cabinet from Alan Jesperson. The original cost of the 15U271 was $235.00, $10 more than the 15U270 at $225.00. This needed the usual, recapping, replace bad wiring, a couple of tubes, one knob was missing, new dial face and the cabinet refinished as it was trashed. 505.66, 561.84 Zenith sold a ton of them when new. First, I cut the gaskets in half, making the cuts on the diagonal. By putting the lamps in series with the 1J6 tube, the designer used the lamps themselves to provide dropping resistance. Other radios in the same style and therefore also called "Waltons" are the 9-tube 9-S-232, the top of the . 708.45, 885.57 303.06, 378.83 1939 Zenith World's Fair Radio Recently, there was an estate sale in Cottage Grove, Oregon. The radio has very nice reception with no hum. But until then? (For those who have noted that 2.9 + 2.9 + 1 equals more than 6.3, we should point out that there is also a small resistor in parallel with each lamp, to create exactly the right resistance.). The Walton radios, (so named because of the fame this series received when one was used in the TV series, "The Waltons") are among the most popular among serious Zenith collectors. 1935 remained as the model 1000 throughout production). The 6-J-230 is a typical 1930s superheterodyne receiver, using a power transformer and six tubes. The next photo shows the rubber just before I finished splitting it. Original Price 16.67 But it turned out very nice. our example of the 12S232, the radio was built Zenith made four different chassis to fit into this style cabinet (7J232, 7S232, 9S232 & 12S232). included every vacuum tube in the tube count including: Zenith 12S265 Console (1938) $3,300.00 SOLD Quantity Not Available We spent three months restoring this gorgeous 1938 Zenith 12S265 Art Deco console radio. Alan Jesperson has only located 5 of these in his many years of collection, restoring and selling Zenith radios. With the addition of a bleeder resistorproperly positioned to avoid interferencethe radio performed quite well. Only $1900! The grille cloth is a reproduction of the original pattern. Named after E.F. McDonald the founder of the Zenith Radio Company. ballast, regulators, and cathode ray (magic eye) the chassis type and the power requirements. It was (and still is) missing two knobs. The cabinet is simple but elegant, with a six-inch circular dial echoed by a circular design in the upper speaker grille. It initially sold for $69.95 in the East, but in early August Zenith, along with other manufacturers, announced across the board price increases. One . 6 Dry Cell Comes to Life Again, Restoring a 19" Portable 1960 Hoffman K1919 Television, Restore Tuning Dial for Zenith N723 Radio, Page 2: The Rise of Radio Engineering 1920-29, Page 3: The Rise of Radio Engineering 1920-29, Televisions- 1946-1999 The Great Electronic Culture Change of the 20th Century, Page 2: Solid State Picture Tube Television, Page 3: Televisions- The Sony Portable CRT Watchman 1982-1994, Page 4: Televisions- The LCD or Flat Screen TV- Real Portability, Page 4 The Rise in Radio Engineering 1920-1929, Japanese (Made in Japan) Imports- Transistor Radios 1959-1960's, USA Brand Transistor Radios 1959-1960's Page 2, Tungar Items, Recording Electronics, Vintage Light Bulbs and Small Home Electric Devices, Military and Special Purpose Tubes Part 2- NON RADAR, Military and Special Purpose Vacuum Tubes Part 1- Non RADAR Applications, Military and Special Purpose Vacuum Tubes- RADAR Applications, Vintage Communication Receivers, Transmitters and Transceivers, Restoring 1937 Troy Radio 59PC Phono Radio Set, Restoring a 1949 General Electric 806 Table Model Television, Restoring a 1949 General Electric 806- NOV 2018, Videos on Dead Tech Electronics History and Restoration, Vintage Electronic Measurement and Test Equipment. This radio has the fabulous "Robot Shutter Dial" with a green tuning eye. The spring counterbalances the weight of the tuning capacitor as the plates rise up, allowing you to accurately rest the tuner at any position. From that The introduction to smaller and more efficient tubes help speed things along- rising to the peak of radio's Golden Era. This radio has the fabulous Robot Shutter Dial with a green tuning eye. Manufactured by Zenith/Herman Miller. Only rubber would provide enough friction on the small pulleys to make the system work. ZENITH FERNFUNK LANDWIRTSCHAFT in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! Then tune the digital radio to the desired frequency and start fine-tuning the signal generator to the target frequency. The Zenith 6S254 (6-S-254) is a 6-tube console radio with broadcast band and two short wave bands. The radio is sensitive enough to get the local stations just fine. The dial perimeter is marked in gradations from 1 to 60, allowing you to record very fine tuning positions. The 15U270 & 15U271 are the only 1938 15 tube Zenith radios that utilize two speakers, a 12 woofer and a 6 tweeter. Two important points need to be covered for a . As Bob says, in a few years the market will be flooded with them. (15% off), Sale Price 1,023.32 Price: $12.00. It sold new for $169.95 (list price). After phoning a number of local stores, I was unable to locate square O-ring stock, so I bought the next-best thing: two rubber plumbing gaskets. Digital receiver, used to double-check the signal generator's output frequency. The four original wood Z knobs are present. 944.60, 1,180.75 The black contrasting stripes near the bottom had a few scuffs, which I restored with black paint and a small artist's brush. The next photo shows the second pulley underneath the chassis. It had an original purchase price of $169.95 and boasts the following list of features:- Motorized tuning & foreign station re-locator 12-inch electrodynamic speaker with "acoustic adapter" Push-pull 6V6 output stage producing a room- The chassis was purchased separate, it was originally from a chairside. A truly beautiful radio, the cabinet was done by E-K Restorations of Cleveland, Ohio. (XG5) ~ ZENITH RADIO CO. CHICAGO. The dial belt was replaced for smooth tuning. Called the "Commander" by many Zenith collectors. Listed below are the Dial/Knobs: The famous black Zenith Robot Shutter Dial is in very nice condition as is the dial glass. Then you turn off the digital radio, disconnect the generator's leads, and reconnect them to the radio being aligned. Sad part about is, I offered them $150.00 over 2 months ago, the person on the phone said it was his sons radio and he would have to check with him about my offer, never heard back from them, Now I have lost interest in the radio! Airline 14WG-806A 1942 This is a wonderful wood radio with two bands, AM and shortwave. The radio apparently had not been restored (by a collector). obtained an export model. Zenith 1938 - 1940 Knob. The stupid TV show that inspired the name " Walton" has been off the air for decades. . (Thanks to Walt Heskes, an expert adviser on many of these projects, for pointing me in the right direction to solve this problem.). For most adjustments, you simply turn the screw while watching the tester's readout, aiming for maximum output. For this particular adjustment, the signal generator was set to 456 kilohertz to adjust the radio's I.F. Different connections and test frequencies are used for subsequent alignment steps, of course. the radio was built for the 1937 model year. A multitester, used to measure the radio's output during alignment. (10% off), Sale Price 19.05 letter after the model number itself, you have Do not use the add to cart feature. not with the actual production date. The dealer did not want to sell it, he was going to fix it himself. Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions. Then I applied a bit of liquid spray starch. Numbers in colored circles identify points of interest. 3-bands, Broadcast (AM), and 2 shortwave. A large Antique Radio Collection featuring Old Radios From Zenith, Zenith Stratosphere, Atwater Kent, Philco and RCA antique radio collection, old radio consoles, wooden radios, cathedral radios, tombstone and floor model radios Part of the top finish was completely gone. The minimum equipment needed for alignment is a signal generator and a multitester. 14.17, 16.67 If you haven't replaced certain critical components, and nobody has messed things up in the past, the alignment will be fine in many cases. 3 bands including broadcast, shortwave and police In other words, I could have avoided the time spent laboriously splitting and regluing the square rubber material. The new owners were happy to have it. When I got my hands on the new belt, however, I discovered a little problem. If the prices come down due to market saturation? Its rubber had dried with age, allowing the fabric layers to separate and detach from one another. a zero at the beginning, (IE. Original Price 1,279.15 This radio uses a rubber drive belt instead of a string. In order to give you the best experience, we use cookies and similar technologies for performance, analytics, personalization, advertising, and to help our site function. Every effort was taken to reproduce original look of this fine radio. Electronics/Chassis/Cord: The Superhetrodyne chassis is a performer and plays full dial scale. tubes. (20% off), Sale Price 12.14 Providing accurate tuning via the main tuner obviates the need for a separate bandspread tuner, as found in "boatanchor" shortwave sets such as my Hallicrafters SX-42. The next photo shows the setup for the first adjustment. If you look closely at the workbench photo, you'll see the thin red loop lying under the digital radio. Great deal. $1,499.99 0 bids or Best Offer 1d 4h Local Pickup Radio, Zenith Deluxe Floor Wood Cabinet Console, Double-Wide, Scarce Vintage $845.00 or Best Offer In hindsight, I'd call this restoration moderately difficult. (20% off), Sale Price 350.10 Had I been alive and of a radio-buying disposition in 1938, I would have looked at . And this is one of the 5. If the letter designation is followed by a Since I operate the radio on AC, I shortened the cables and tucked them under the chassis. But I ain't paying $2,000 for one. The suffixes included: Zenith Introduced in June of 1937 for the 1838 model year. (10% off), Sale Price 590.38 Great display and talking piece. Checking a generator's output in this way is another of Walt's handy tricks. However, this one also plays perfectly on a short lead wire as well. Fixing the cabinet was a straightforward job. After I had a good color match, I sprayed one coat of clear lacquer on the top, then removed the masking and the grille cloth to expose the whole cabinet. The speaker has the correct part number for a 7-tube model. Zenith 12S267 1938 What a console! Many of the surviving 15U270 and 15U271 suffer from cracking burl on the curved areas on each side of the dial. SKU Color Price Qty. But JLC has plenty of icons to its name, from the Reverso to the Polaris, and to only look at those models is to miss a serious value proposition by way of the Master Ultra Thin. indicated that there were 17 initial categories, 1938 Estimate $80 - $120 4 d 8 h 27 m 46 s $40 (1 bid) Your Maximum Bid: Secure $50 or 4 payments of $12.50 with Place Bid 27 bidders watching this item Original Price 29.76 This radio can be powered from household AC current or a 6-volt DC battery. Signal generator, used to create a test signal at a precise frequency. This three-band, nine-tube Art Deco radio is completely restored and retrofitted with Bluetooth. All the paper foil capacitors were replaced too. Powered bySquarespace. The audio was also harsh and extremely loud, so loud that the radio played at medium volume with the volume control turned all the way down. and they work just as well as square ones. 1938 Zenith short wave radio classic antique model 6-J-257 Ad vertisement by Jasona5150. In 1927, Zenith introduced the first radio with push-button tuning, and in 1940 it broadcast the first FM radio station in the Midwest. You will hear a loud hum in the radio when the generator is set just right. I didn't figure I would ever find one around my area of NE Texas under 4 figures. Given the extent of damage on top, stripping was the only alternative. This is the mahogany version of the 15U270 walnut model. The photo-finished portion of the cabinet was in decent shape, but the top was badly damaged, as you can see below. Testing further revealed that the tube voltages were very high, reading about 200 volts on plate pins that should have 125-135 volts. The shutters open nicely. If either lamp burns out, the power tube gets no filament current, and you get almost no amplification. 1938 Zenith Radio - Etsy Check out our 1938 zenith radio selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Radio chassis has been overhauled and is working good. a "Walton Radio" as an example (12S232). Looks really good. The white pointer and brass second hand are perfect and moves nicely around the dial. Pictured here above is the most common of the 1938 15 tube radios made. Find out more in our Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy. The cabinet was stripped of its original finish, lightly sanded, re-stained, grain filled and then sprayed with Mohawk sealer and lacquer. The audio was extremely weakbarely audible with the volume control turned all the way upuntil I replaced a burned-out dial lamp. 25 tube Stratosphere, first produced in 350.10, 389.00 1938 Zenith "Walton" 9-s-232 Shutter Dial Tombstone Art Deco Radio 1938 Zenith "WALTON" 12-S-232 Shutter Dial Tombstone Art Deco Radio 1938 Zenith For Sale on 1stDibs At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal 1938 zenith for your home. After those capacitors had been replaced, the radio's B+ voltage was lowered somewhat, but it still tested about 25-30% higher than indicated in the schematic. Features: Technical Specifications Number of Tubes 9 Zenith quickly became known as an innovator. Model 6-J-230 dates from 1938 and is typical of many radios of that era. The next photo shows how the cabinet was masked with newspaper prior to applying the new finish. letter designations that were used to describe 6V027), this however If the letter designation is followed by a two (15% off), Sale Price 23.81 The 6-tube 3-waveband Zenith 6-S-254 (6S254) was introduced in June of 1937 as part of, Zeniths robot dial, received a make-over from its inaugural 1938 model year. I offer free shipping via Greyhound to the lower 48 states. The cabinet is simple but elegant, with a six-inch circular dial echoed by a circular design in the upper speaker grille. Stratosphere. Why would a radio designer do this? A string-driven system is cheap to manufacture and easy to service, but strings can break or slip. Note-taking may seem tedious when you're hurrying to get results, but it saves time in the long run. Mar 24, 2022 - Explore Daniel Mumau's board "1930's - 1940's floor model Zenith radios" on Pinterest. Then I super-glued two of the cut ends together, forming a single length of rubber. The next photo shows this radio on my workbench with everything set up to align it. on. If you see this ad, the radio is available. .No motor or tuning eye, but it has push-pull audio and runs on a 6 volt battery. This is a 1938 Zenith 7 tube Walton model 7S232, Zenith's most famous and collectable year. It has a premium-grade, 12-tube, high-output chassis and with its 12-inch speaker is an incredible performer. year (1996). Here is Walter's comment on that point: Now that we have added an extra resistor, can this radio be considered "stock" or "original?" Beautiful tri-color black 6-inch lighted dial which Zenith made famous and still a favorite of most collectors. When the US entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor in . to discuss in this article. the relative placement in the line-up ($costs$). A few minutes of experimentation convinced me that strong cord would not be a suitable replacement. Well, one showed up a year ago about 70 miles south of me. This article will deal with the "Big Black I don't think I'd pay 1/2 the asking price. The blue arrow points to the shaft around which the belt is loosely placed. Cookies and similar technologies are used to improve your experience, to do things like: Without these technologies, things like personalized recommendations, your account preferences, or localisation may not work correctly. The chassis is clean and rust free. If you feel uneasy about modifying an old radio, you can always leave a note inside the cabinet indicating exactly what was done, so that any future owner who doesn't like the modification can undo it. This was a common practice since Zenith never printed 271 paper tags. Want to know more? This is now equipped with Tissot's new titanium-based alloy Nivachron balance spring. Other small pulleys often act as guides for the string. Next is the tuning knob and the rightmost control is the bandswitch. Before risking that, I decided to seek expert advice. First; the big round "airplaine" dial To enable personalized advertising (like interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. Craig. The chassis has the 7S232 stamp just above the power cord. The starch gives the cloth more body, helping it resist sagging in the future. Caution: A novice should never try to align a radio "by ear." My wife and son drove the 70 miles in fog so thick you couldn't see the front of your vehicle to be the first ones at the estate sale and got it. Put the radio right next to your favorite chair, relax and enjoy! They made very few and did not want to go thru the trouble printing model tags. A final alignment was in order, particularly since I had already changed the alignment earlier. On many radios, the pilot lamps are wired in parallel with the filaments of the radio's tubes. Pleasant waterfall cabinet and tear-drop dial that was only used for 1938. Putting on the new belt would require disassembling the geared tuning mechanism, starting with the dial pointer and dial, and working back to where the belt would be placed on the shaft. It is a piece of original 1938 cloth from a console that used the same pattern. The radio is so large it does not fit well next to a chair as it was designed too. On the other hand, the radio didn't perform to its original specifications until we added that part.