Philips Bakelite Radios
Bedside & Kitchen Philips Valve Radios
Thursday, August 12, 2010
About Cape Vintage Gramophones & Valve Radios
I strongly believe that as individuals we need to have a hobby or something you have a passion for. For some its as simple as playing cricket. So its a activity that balances life and provide an escape from the rush of modern life.
Other than my family and my practice, what drives me is old vintage valve radios. The excitement of finding and old radio, full of dust, negotiating with the seller and obtaining it at a good price is quite rewarding or even swopping radios out for a certain type you wish to have in your collection.
Then comes the identification, looking inside the set for the first time, the smell that comes from the old wax capacitors, the colours of the resistors (those lovely crazy dogbone resistors), the architecture of the set, the type of valves (tubes), clarifying the model and age of the set.
I’ve collected some interesting and rare radios, some I’ve kept in my collection and others I passed on to other South African collectors. Part of the hobby is the adventure that comes with hunting for rare sets, swopping, repairing, buying and selling. What a moment when that old chassis comes to life for the first time and those valves start glowing and emitting heat. The smell of toasted dust, the magic eye (tuning indicator) lights up green and that energised (non-magnetic) speakers producers the first sound in many years. Many of these radios have been in hibernation for up to 30 years.
As gramophone and radio collectors we are the curators of these wonderful technological devices manufactured in the Golden Era of Sound and once we die our wives, children or partners might keep it or find new homes for it. Or they may just send it to the regional landfill site or get a unscrupelous auctioneer to steal it from them for a mere pittance. So make sure you are clear what needs to happen with your gramophone and radio collection if you die.
Prices of old radios have skyrocketed over the last whileas antique dealers started asking crazy prices for old valve radios. All they are interested in is to make a quick Rand. Most of them have no understanding of old radios and all of them will plug the radio in to convince you that its working. Many of them should place a finger or two into a electric socket and switch it on. I hate ignorant antiques dealers who think eBay rules the world.
Join me on a journey through my raw collection of vintage gramophones and valve radios in the Republic of South Africa (RSA).
Other than my family and my practice, what drives me is old vintage valve radios. The excitement of finding and old radio, full of dust, negotiating with the seller and obtaining it at a good price is quite rewarding or even swopping radios out for a certain type you wish to have in your collection.
Then comes the identification, looking inside the set for the first time, the smell that comes from the old wax capacitors, the colours of the resistors (those lovely crazy dogbone resistors), the architecture of the set, the type of valves (tubes), clarifying the model and age of the set.
I’ve collected some interesting and rare radios, some I’ve kept in my collection and others I passed on to other South African collectors. Part of the hobby is the adventure that comes with hunting for rare sets, swopping, repairing, buying and selling. What a moment when that old chassis comes to life for the first time and those valves start glowing and emitting heat. The smell of toasted dust, the magic eye (tuning indicator) lights up green and that energised (non-magnetic) speakers producers the first sound in many years. Many of these radios have been in hibernation for up to 30 years.
As gramophone and radio collectors we are the curators of these wonderful technological devices manufactured in the Golden Era of Sound and once we die our wives, children or partners might keep it or find new homes for it. Or they may just send it to the regional landfill site or get a unscrupelous auctioneer to steal it from them for a mere pittance. So make sure you are clear what needs to happen with your gramophone and radio collection if you die.
Prices of old radios have skyrocketed over the last whileas antique dealers started asking crazy prices for old valve radios. All they are interested in is to make a quick Rand. Most of them have no understanding of old radios and all of them will plug the radio in to convince you that its working. Many of them should place a finger or two into a electric socket and switch it on. I hate ignorant antiques dealers who think eBay rules the world.
Join me on a journey through my raw collection of vintage gramophones and valve radios in the Republic of South Africa (RSA).
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