Philco 16 Chassis - Cabinet?
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I picked up this Philco at an estate sale today for $40. The chassis looks like a model 16 but I have not seen this cabinet before. It's in good shape and may not need to be refinished except perhaps on the top.
Steve Chambers
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Please find the nearest shipper who can deliver that to Moline Illinois !!!!
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Very nice...but it isn't a Philco factory cabinet. That is one of those third party cabinets that people could purchase in the 1930s to put their radios into.
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Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
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Ron:
I suspected as much. Who would have applied the Philco decal? The cabinet maker or perhaps the dealer?
Steve Chambers
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Hard to say for certain. I would guess the cabinet maker? If they knew a Philco was going into that cabinet, I would guess they would want to acquire a Philco decal before application of clear coat(s) of lacquer.
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Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
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I have a Philco 116 (PP-42s) chassis/speaker that has been installed in an aftermarket cabinet, although my cabinet is not as fancy as your's.
There is no "Philco" decal on mine, but it does have the "V" chevron grillecloth. here were several cabinet manufacturers that offered cabinets for Philco and other brand radios.
Your example is very nice indeed!
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It's very nicely made, nothing personal but quite frankly, I hate it. It's an over the top, gaudy, Louis the 16th style cabinet, there isn't any one thing I don't like about it, any one detail is nice on it's own so much as the way they are put together. My first thought when I saw it was that someone fitted a Philco 16 chassis into a Stromberg or a GM radio cabinet, but both of those were more conservative, so it has to be an aftermarket job.
Regards
Arran
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Everyone can have an opinion I suppose. I like it. I wouldn't want every radio or every piece of furniture in my home to be in this style but I like it none the less. Even for those who "hate" it, it is an historical example of what was being made and purchased at the time and it deserves a restoration on this basis alone. The veneer work is amazing and I have no doubt that this was someone's prized possession at one time.
Steve Chambers
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I agree, Steve. 
If all of us liked the same radio, all of the others would go begging while the value of the one radio everyone wanted would go through the roof!
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Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
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One question though, is there a plaque, a decal, or some sort of stamp on that cabinet someplace? In looking at the pictures again I don't think it was a custom cabinet, you will notice that around the top edge, base, the legs, and stretchers it appears to have shaded lacquer over a cheaper grainless wood like maple, beech, or poplar, that indicates that it was a production cabinet of some kind. It doesn't mean that it was a frankenradio but it may have been an aftermarket production cabinet.
If it were custom made it's very likely that they would have used a higher quality wood on the legs and other visible parts. The carving also would have been hand carved with a chisel, the carving on this looks like it may have been machine made, something that a small cabinet maker would not have had the machinery to do.
Regards
Arran
(This post was last modified: 07-30-2012, 05:30 PM by Arran.)
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No decal or sticker that I can see anywhere inside the cabinet. I am absolutely convinced that this is not a "Frankenradio". The fit of everything is perfect, an original and faded Philco decal is present on the front of the radio, and everything looks undisturbed, as if the radio is frozen in time. I agree, probably not a custom cabinet, but as Ron said it must be one of those third party cabinets. It would be interesting to know more about these cabinets. Who sold them? Was there a catalogue? Do any of these catalogues survive? Who were the manufacturers? The manufacturing and sales history aspect of this hobby has always been interesting to me.
Steve Chambers
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I really like this radio/cabinet. The fact that apparently is not a "Philco" made cabinet does not detract a bit from me. Over the top, no, what great wood work. If this was indeed a cabinet built to accept the Philco radio chassis as a bare chassis at the time of manufacture of the chassis, it has some real historical significance. Many chassis of the past were sold to cabinet makers for installation. If this was the case, what a nice job. I would pick that up in a heart beat. Isn't it nice to agree to disagree? Thanks Ron for that comment, I give you credit for it. 
Jerry
A friend in need is a pest! Bill Slee ca 1970.
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Really snazzy cabinet. Stuff like this looks really wonderful in a living room with a fireplace providing most of the lighting on a winter night, and still working to provide audio. Elder disco perhaps.
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Certainly, a nice conversation piece. I think I could make room for it.
Steve
M R Radios C M Tubes
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