Collecting radios, a personal view

(CIDX Articles from the Archives #1)

by Jos Matthews

I didn't bother looking for an official definition for the work "collect," but having been around collectors for years, I'm allowing myself a few observations.

Collecting radios is a male hobby. For most spouses, their mate collects "stuff" or "junk." The deep psychological aspects of any hobby could fill a textbook. Some collectors would do well in stopping and examining what got them into their pastime. Although we can group collectors by specialties, every one has his own story, a path that led him to what he's doing today. Guys rarely talk about their motivations, but just looking at a good restoration can speak volumes.

The endless search at garage sales and flea markets can be compared to hunting, another male sport. Many hope to hit the jackpot: paying $2 for a radio worth much more. As time goes on, good finds become scarce: there are only so many old radios floating around.

As stuff comes in, and it always does move in faster than expected, the saying that "space is the final frontier" takes on a local meaning. Choices have to be made, otherwise living space becomes radio space, thus leading right into matrimonial warfare. We live in a seven room cottage, plus basement, and every square foot is accounted for. All radio space had to be negotiated; and on common territory she's got the final say. Some fellows have no regards for their spouse's territory and wonder why they are staring at divorce papers down the road. With the premium on space, it can be seen that console radios are losing ground. Most of them have been relegated to basements.

I guess the keyword is to specialize in what we like best. Accumulating any type of radio under the sun can lead to a big pile of junk. I have seen a basement full of radios and electronic hardware with an owner that didn't know what was where. In this case, why collect? I specialized in multi-band portables for their performance and affordability. The tube models make good conversation pieces, and they don't even have to be restored, just cleaned. The price of tubes today makes these restorations questionable unless nostalgia becomes part of the equation.

Collecting solid state "antiques" is slowly growing. You can put a lot of small transistor portables in the place of a console, and most of them are real cheap. You just have to stay away from the first Regencies, Sonys, etc. Performance wise, most small radios are atrocious. The Royal 500 stands out as an exception, but even then, it doesn't compare to the larger models.

Up to now, I have said little about money. To me, this is a hobby, not a sideline. Those who want to make the fast buck usually get stung by their own greed and this style of collecting becomes a subset of gambling. You recognize these sharpies because all they talk about are the listed prices and nothing else. I stay away from these walking catalogues. Buyers determine the local pricing, which often has nothing to do with American books. Sometimes, local conditions dictate that a purchase price exceeds what the catalogue says. Some other times, stuff won't move even at a price much lower than same catalogue; it all depends.

On a social scale, we can thank the private collectors who are intercepting our technical heritage before it hits the landfill. We are now into a generation glued on the present, where everything is disposable without a second thought. A generation that also thinks the world didn't function before they were born. Computers don't stir up anything except the desire to toss them when the new model comes in.

Tube radios started the electronic revolution, and were the main source of news and entertainment for several decades. Transistor portables ignited the solid state upheaval, which is still going on today. Collecting or finding old radios is the first step to restoration. Flea markets and radio clubs like ours can be the primary source of nice old restorable equipment. Unlike computers, a forty-year-old portable can still be used on a daily basis, combining entertainment and nostalgia.

Editor's note: This article was first published in the CIDX Messenger in 1997. Reproduced with the kind permission of the author.

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