Philco for 1935 (introduced June 1934)

Overview

For the first time, Philco referred to its mod­el year as being the fol­low­ing cal­en­dar year. These new "1935" mod­els were intro­duced to its deal­ers in May 1934, and to the pub­lic in June 1934.

With four mod­els car­ried over from Jan­u­ary 1934, Philco's mod­el line­up was up to 51 dif­fer­ent radios for a poten­tial radio pur­chas­er to choose from.

Model Index

The fol­low­ing mod­els remained in the Philco line­up: 54C, 60L, 84B, 505L. All oth­er 1933-34 Philco mod­els were discontinued.

Click on a thumb­nail to see infor­ma­tion and pho­tos for each model:

16B 16L 16X 16RX 18B 18H 18X
18MX 28C 28L 29D 29X 29TX 32B
32L 34B 34L 38B 38L 39B 45C
45L 49B 49H 49D 49X 54S 59C
59S 60B 66B 89B 89L 118B 118H
118D 118X 118MX 118RX 144B 144H 144D
144X 200X 500X & 501X 503L, 506L & 507L 505L

Models


Model 16B

Model 16B - Image courtesy of Paul Turney.
Model 16B - Image courtesy of Clifford R. Huff. Model 16B - Image used with permission.

The new 16B was even larg­er than the pre­vi­ous year's 16B cathe­dral, with a larg­er (10-1/2 inch) speak­er. The chas­sis was the same as the 1933-34 mod­el, how­ev­er, with 11 tubes and 5 bands.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $89.50

Num­ber made: 18,147 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Fall 1934 Mod­el 16B)

Model 16L

Model 16L - Image courtesy of John Bennett.
Model 16L

As with a major­i­ty of Philco's new 1935 mod­el line, the 16L received a com­plete­ly new cab­i­net with new "hex" knobs and a new escutcheon.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $150

Num­ber made: 11,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 34L)

Model 16X

Model 16X - Image courtesy of Jeffrey Goldstein.
Model 16X - Image courtesy of Jeffrey Goldstein.

Anoth­er com­plete­ly new, more "mod­ern" cab­i­net for the 16X. This turned out to be the best-sell­ing ver­sion of the 16 for the 1935 season.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $175

Num­ber made: 23,475

Model 16RX

Model 16RX - Model 16RX-TU chairside.
Model 16RX - Model 16RX-SU separate speaker unit. Model 16RX - Image courtesy of Clifford R. Huff. Model 16RX - Image courtesy of Clifford R. Huff. Model 16RX - Image courtesy of Clifford R. Huff.

This was a com­plete­ly new chair­side. As with most Philco chair­side mod­els using sep­a­rate speak­ers, the speak­er cab­i­net was larg­er than the con­trol unit. They were con­nect­ed to each oth­er using a 25-foot cable.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $225

Num­ber made: 2,000

Model 18B

Model 18B - Image courtesy of Kirk Sokolowski.
Model 18B

Unlike the pre­vi­ous season's Mod­el 18 which had two-band cov­er­age (AM and the "police" band from 1.5 to 4 mc), the new 18 was a sin­gle band receiv­er cov­er­ing the AM band only, from 540 to 1720 kc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 19,198 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 49B & 118B)

Model 18H

Model 18H - Note: Escutcheon is different from that shown in this factory illustration.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $79.50

Num­ber made: 38,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 49H, 118H & 144H)

Model 18X

Model 18X

The new 18X is iden­ti­cal to the Fall 1933 18X, except that this year's mod­el only received the AM band.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 27,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 49X, 118X & 144X as well as Fall 1933 Mod­els 14X & 18X)

Model 18MX

Model 18MX - Note: January 1934 Model 14MX shown. Model 18MX cabinet is identical in appearance.
Model 18MX

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $85

Num­ber made: 6,407 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 118MX as well as Jan­u­ary 1934 Mod­els 14MX & 18MX)

Model 28C

Model 28C - Image courtesy of Clifford R. Huff.
Model 28C

One of two Philco mod­els that have become very pop­u­lar in recent years; this is the AC/DC ver­sion of what has been dubbed the "But­ter­fly" by collectors.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.95

Num­ber made: 58,300 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 45C)

Model 28L

Model 28L

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 29D

Model 29D

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 5,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 49D, 118D & 144D)

Model 29X

Model 29X

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 5,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1934 Mod­els 19X & 44X)

Model 29TX

Model 29TX - 29TX-SU speaker cabinet.
Model 29TX - Model 29TX-TU late version. Model 29TX - Model 29TX-TU early version. Image courtesy of Michael Prosise.

Philco tried anoth­er com­pact chair­side mod­el with a sep­a­rate speak­er in 1935. There are two ver­sions of the con­trol unit; the ear­ly ver­sion with straight sides, and the late ver­sion with slant­ed sides.

This mod­el did not sell as well as the pre­vi­ous season's Mod­el 19TX, which was also a com­pact chair­side unit with a sep­a­rate speak­er cabinet.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $89.50

Num­ber made: 500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of both versions)

Model 32B

Model 32B - Model 32B, front. Image courtesy of Robert Lozier.
Model 32B - Model 32B, back. Image courtesy of Robert Lozier. Model 32B

This is the new 1935 ver­sion of Philco's 32-volt DC cathedral.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 16,070 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 34B & 144B)

Model 32L

Model 32L

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 34B

Model 34B - Image courtesy of Ryan Meldahl.

The bat­tery-oper­at­ed, all-wave Mod­el 34 con­tin­ued to use the 1934 escutcheon and old­er-style "rosette" knobs, although both escutcheon and knobs were now black instead of medi­um brown.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 16,070 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 32B & 144B)

Model 34L

Model 34L - Image courtesy of Phil Hall.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $95

Num­ber made: 11,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 16L)

Model 38B

Model 38B

The new 1935 ver­sion of the pop­u­lar bat­tery-oper­at­ed Baby Grand. Ear­ly mod­els use a met­al escutcheon with the PHILCO trade­mark embossed into it, with no PHILCO decal.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.50

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 38L

Model 38L

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 39B

Model 39B - Image courtesy of David Woodward.

A new bat­tery-oper­at­ed Baby Grand, which could receive AM and one short­wave band (5.5 to 16 mc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 62,070 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 89B as well as Fall 1934 Mod­el 66B)

Model 45C

Model 45C - Image courtesy of Jeffrey Wiles.
Model 45C - Image courtesy of Ron Boucher. Model 45C - Image courtesy of William Dince.

This is the oth­er "But­ter­fly," an AC-oper­at­ed com­pact table mod­el which uses six tubes and cov­ers AM and one short­wave band, from 4.2 to 13 mc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.95

Num­ber made: 58,300 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 28C)

Model 45L

Model 45L - Image courtesy of Ryan Meldahl.
Model 45L - Boy with Philco - circa 1935 Image courtesy of thirtiesradio.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 49B

Model 49B - Model 118B shown. Model 49B is identical in appearance. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Goldstein.

The 1935 sea­son brought a new line of Philcos designed to oper­ate on 110 volts direct cur­rent (DC) only, even though the com­pa­ny was slow­ly mak­ing more sets that could run on either AC or DC current.

The new Mod­el 49 was based on the Mod­el 118's cir­cuit­ry, and had the same fre­quen­cy cov­er­age (540-1720 kc & 4.2-12 mc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 19.198 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18B & 118B)

Model 49H

Model 49H

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $89.50

Num­ber made: 38,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18H, 118H & 144H)

Model 49D

Model 49D

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 5,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 29D, 118D & 144D)

Model 49X

Model 49X

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 27,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18X, 118X & 144X as well as Fall 1933 Mod­els 14X & 18X)

Model 54S

Model 54S

An all-new cab­i­net for Mod­el 54 which offered buy­ers a choice between this mod­el and the old­er 54C which was still available.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $35

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 59C

Model 59C

A new four-tube regen­er­a­tive com­pact which was the suc­ces­sor to the pre­vi­ous season's Mod­el 58.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 49,415 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1934 Mod­els 54C & 58C)

Model 59S

Model 59S

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $29.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 60B

Model 60B - Early version. Image courtesy of Ed Locker.
Model 60B - Later version.

As may be seen here, ini­tial pro­duc­tion of the new 60 Baby Grand sets used the old­er 1933-34 escutcheon which had the PHILCO trade­mark embossed into the met­al and no decal. Lat­er pro­duc­tion 60B sets used a bake­lite escutcheon with the PHILCO decal between the dial and the tun­ing knob.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $29.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 66B

Model 66B

The new Mod­el 66 Baby Grand looks near­ly iden­ti­cal to the Jan­u­ary 1934 Mod­el 60MB. Both used the same cab­i­net. How­ev­er, notice how the 66B uses a dif­fer­ent pat­tern of grille cloth. And in addi­tion, while both are 5-tube sets, Mod­el 66 cov­ers the AM band and short­wave from 5.5 to 16 mc, while Mod­el 60 cov­ers AM and the "police" band from 1.5 to 4 mc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 89B

Model 89B - Image courtesy of Kim Bowers.
Model 89B - Image courtesy of David Kasabo.

A new look for an old favorite.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.50

Num­ber made: 62,070 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 39B as well as Fall 1934 Mod­el 66B)

Model 89L

Model 89L
Model 89L Model 89L

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 118B

Model 118B - Image courtesy of Jeffrey Goldstein.
Model 118B - Image courtesy of Paul Turney. Model 118B - Image courtesy of Ron Boucher.

This set can trace its lin­eage back to the 1933-34 Mod­el 18, as it also uses eight tubes and has very sim­i­lar cir­cuit­ry. The dif­fer­ence is in the fre­quen­cy cov­er­age: Mod­el 118 receives AM and short­wave from 540-1720 kc and 4.2-12 mc, respectively.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $65

Num­ber made: 19,198 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18B & 49B)

Model 118H

Model 118H - Image courtesy of Chuck Bailey.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $89.50

Num­ber made: 38,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18H, 49H & 144H)

Model 118D

Model 118D - Image courtesy of Jim Burns.
Model 118D - Image courtesy of Jim Burns.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $129.50

Num­ber made: 5,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 29D, 49D & 144D)

Model 118X

Model 118X

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 27,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18X, 49X & 144X as well as Fall 1933 Mod­els 14X & 18X)

Model 118MX

Model 118MX - Image courtesy of Bob Wilson.
Model 118MX

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $85

Num­ber made: 6,407 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 18MX as well as Jan­u­ary 1934 Mod­els 14MX & 18MX)

Model 118RX

Model 118RX - 118RX-TU chairside unit.
Model 118RX - 118RX-SU speaker cabinet.

One of Philco's more unusu­al styles in chair­side radios. The sep­a­rate speak­er cab­i­net is iden­ti­cal to the 29TX speak­er cab­i­net. Not very many of either mod­el were made; inter­est in chair­sides seemed to be dwin­dling, although Philco con­tin­ued to offer var­i­ous types of chair­side mod­els through the 1940 mod­el year.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $125

Num­ber made: 500

Model 144B

Model 144B
Model 144B

Suc­ces­sor to the 1933-34 Mod­el 44, this six-tube all-wave set added a shad­owme­ter, a four-point tone con­trol, and a slight­ly more pow­er­ful audio output.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $65

Num­ber made: 16,070 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 32B & 34B)

Model 144H

Model 144H

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $89.50

Num­ber made: 38,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18H, 49H & 118H)

Model 144D

Model 144D

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 5,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 29D, 49D & 118D)

Model 144X

Model 144X - Image courtesy of Kirk David.
Model 144X - Image courtesy of Kirk David. Model 144X - Note: Escutcheon and knob layout is different from that shown in this factory illustration.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: 27,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 18X, 49X & 118X as well as Fall 1933 Mod­els 14X & 18X)

Model 200X

Model 200X

This is a his­tor­i­cal­ly sig­nif­i­cant set. While most peo­ple today have been con­di­tioned to believe that AM has very poor fre­quen­cy response, this was not always the case. In fact, this very mod­el was designed to receive a wider fre­quen­cy audio range than the nor­mal AM receiv­er of the time - 50 to 7500 cycles.

While keep­ing in mind that most vin­tage radios can out­per­form any mod­ern AM receiv­er, aver­age AM sets of the time would only repro­duce an audio fre­quen­cy range up to 4000 cycles.

The Philco 200X was the industry's first high fideli­ty radio, thanks to its vari­able band­width con­trol which made high fideli­ty recep­tion pos­si­ble when con­di­tions were right; the con­trol could be adjust­ed to nar­row the audio band­width when nec­es­sary, also.

It only received the AM band (540-1720 kc), and used 10 tubes.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $200

Num­ber made: 3,500

Models 500X & 501X

Models 500X & 501X - Model 501X, closed. Image courtesy of Mike Powell.
Models 500X & 501X - Model 501X, open. Image courtesy of Mike Powell. Models 500X & 501X - Model 501X, side. Image courtesy of Mike Powell. Models 500X & 501X Models 500X & 501X

Two new radio-phono­graphs for the 1935 sea­son used the Mod­el 16 all-wave chas­sis. The dif­fer­ence? Mod­el 500X used a sin­gle play 78 rpm phono­graph, while Mod­el 501X had an auto­mat­ic record changer.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $250 (500X), $295 (501X)

Num­ber made: 1,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 500X & 501X)

Models 503L, 506L & 507L

Models 503L, 506L & 507L
Models 503L, 506L & 507L - Model 507P, front. Models 503L, 506L & 507L - Model 507P, top open showing phonograph. Models 503L, 506L & 507L - Model 507P, top open showing radio controls.

Philco also offered three oth­er radio-phono­graph mod­els, which shared the same cab­i­net styling: Mod­el 503L, which used the new AM-only Mod­el 18 chas­sis; Mod­el 506L, which used a Mod­el 144 chas­sis; and Mod­el 507L, which used a Mod­el 118 chassis.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $139.50 (503L), $150 (506L & 507L)

Num­ber made: 2,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 503L, 506L & 507L)

Model 505L

Model 505L - Note: Escutcheon is different from that shown in this factory illustration.

Mod­el 505L was car­ried over from Jan­u­ary 1934. It uses the five-tube Mod­el 60 chas­sis and a sin­gle-play 78 rpm phonograph.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $90

Num­ber made: 936 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1934 Mod­els 500L, 503L, 504L & 505L)

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