1941 (June 1940)

Philco for 1941 (introduced June 1940)

Overview

The 1941 Philco line was some­what more styl­ish than their 1940 mod­els. Many of the new mod­els adopt­ed either escutcheons or com­bi­na­tion escutcheons/grilles made with Ten­ite, which shrinks over time and has caused many 1941 (and 1942) mod­els to become less than attrac­tive as a result. For­tu­nate­ly, there is a repro­duc­tion escutcheon avail­able for some of the more pop­u­lar mod­els (see the Resources page for details).

The portable mod­els became lighter and more effi­cient. Near­ly all mod­els now includ­ed an improved loop anten­na inside the cabinet.

Philco's radio-phono­graph mod­els no longer car­ried the Phono­graph with Philco name. In addi­tion, the high­er priced mod­els con­tained a new Philco inno­va­tion; a tone arm with a light bulb, a mir­ror mount­ed on top of the sap­phire sty­lus, and a pho­to­cell. The Beam of Light pick­up was only used in 1941 and 1942 Philco models.

Philco offered ten mod­els in its Trop­ic line of export sets for 1941, which were now most­ly table models.

A few new Philco Tran­si­tone mod­els were intro­duced for 1941, along with four mod­els car­ried over from 1940. Nev­er­the­less, Philco offered far few­er Philco Tran­si­tone mod­els than they did in the pre­vi­ous season.

Model Index

The fol­low­ing mod­els con­tin­ued in the Philco line­up: PT-25, PT-26, PT-27, PT-28, RP-1 (as 41-RP1). All oth­er 1940 mod­els were discontinued.

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

Portable Radios

41-81T	41-83T	41-84T	41-85T	PT-87	PT-89

Bat­tery-oper­at­ed Farm Sets

41-90CB	41-95T	41-95F	41-100T	41-100F	41-105T	41-110K
41-695P	41-RP15

Elec­tric (AC & AC/DC) Models

41-220C	41-220CI	41-221C	41-221CI	41-225C	41-226C	41-230T
41-235T	41-240T	41-245T	41-250T	41-255T	41-258F	41-260F
41-265K	41-280X	41-285X	41-287X	41-290X	41-295X	41-300X
41-316RX	41-KR

Radio-Phono­graph models

41-602P	41-603P	41-604P	41-605P	41-607P	41-608P	41-609P
41-610P	41-611P	41-616P	41-RP2	41-RP5

1941 Philco Trop­ic Models

41-705T	41-708T, 41-712T & 41-713T	41-714T	41-722T	41-745T, 41-758T, 41-759T	41-788T

1941 Philco Tran­si­tone Models

PT-30	PT-42	PT-44	PT-49

Models

Portable Radios

Model 41-81T

This four tube portable received the AM band only (540-1600 kc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $17.45

Num­ber made: 8,050

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Model 41-83T

Sim­i­lar to the 41-81T above, this set used five tubes instead of four. It also received the AM band only, as above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $19.95

Num­ber made: 4,525

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Model 41-84T

This five-tube portable was known as a "three-way" portable, because it could oper­ate on 115 volts AC or DC, or on bat­ter­ies. It also received the AM band only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $26.45

Num­ber made: 34,351 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1941 mod­el 41-841T)

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Model 41-85T

Anoth­er "three-way" portable for 1941 (115 volts AC or DC, or bat­tery pow­er), the new 41-85 received short­wave from 6 to 15 mc as well as the AM band.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $36.45

Num­ber made: 10,411 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1941 mod­el 41-851T)

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Model PT-87

This portable Tran­si­tone used five tubes and could oper­ate on 115 volts, AC or DC pow­er, or on bat­ter­ies. It received the AM band only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $17.45

Num­ber made: 32,300

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Model PT-89

This unusu­al com­pact portable oper­at­ed on bat­ter­ies and fea­tured an anten­na built into the car­ry­ing strap. It received the AM band and used four tubes.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $15

Num­ber made: 11,100

Battery-operated Farm Sets

Model 41-90CB

The suc­ces­sor to the pre­vi­ous year's 40-90CB received a new cab­i­net and chas­sis for 1941. It used four tubes and received the AM band only (540-1720 kc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $18.50

Num­ber made: 32,618 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1941 mod­el 42-121CB)

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Model 41-95T

A new wood­en cab­i­net which housed a five-tube chas­sis which also received the AM band from 540 to 1720 kc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $24.95

Num­ber made: 57,980

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Model 41-95F

The chas­sis of this new 1941 farm con­sole is the same as mod­el 41-95T above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 8,526

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Model 41-100T

This five tube, table mod­el, farm set added elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tun­ing to a chas­sis which is oth­er­wise very sim­i­lar to the 41-95T above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $29.95

Num­ber made: 8,011

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Model 41-100F

This set was the con­sole equiv­a­lent to mod­el 41-100T above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.95

Num­ber made: 2,525

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Model 41-105T

Yet anoth­er five tube farm set, the 41-105 added short­wave cov­er­age (6 to 12 mc) to its AM band coverage.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 4,761

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Model 41-110K

This Philco mod­el used six tubes and received short­wave from 6 to 12 mc in addi­tion to the AM band. The 41-110K also fea­tured elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tuning.

Philco's most expen­sive farm set for 1941, it sold very poorly.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $77.95

Num­ber made: 520

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Model 41-695P

A floor mod­el radio-phono­graph for the rur­al mar­ket, the 41-695 fea­tured a bat­tery oper­at­ed radio which received the AM band only. The sin­gle play phono­graph had a crys­tal pick­up and used a windup motor.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 1,533

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Model 41-RP15

A bat­tery oper­at­ed ver­sion of the 41-RP2, for rur­al areas. The phono­graph uses a windup motor. It oper­ates on one tube.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $19.95

Num­ber made: 15,111 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of mod­el 41-RP2)

Electric (AC & AC/DC) Models

Model 41-220C

This mod­el had a wal­nut fin­ish with dark trim. It and the new 41-220CI received AM from 540 to 1600 kc and the "police" band from 1.6 to 3.3 mc. The chas­sis of each used six tubes and oper­at­ed on 115 volts, AC or DC.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $20

Num­ber made: 37,526

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Model 41-220CI

Sim­i­lar to the 41-220C, the 41-220CI had an ivory fin­ish with dark trim.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $21.50

Num­ber made: 9,051

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Model 41-221C

Anoth­er new Philco mod­el that was avail­able in dif­fer­ent trim col­ors. Both the 41-221C and 41-221CI had wal­nut fin­ish­es over­all; the 41-221C had dark trim, and the 41-221CI had ivory trim.

The two sets shared the same six tube chas­sis that could receive AM from 540 to 1720 kc and short­wave from 9 to 12 mc. Both oper­at­ed on 115 volts, AC or DC.

Like many 1941 Philco mod­els, the com­bi­na­tion escutcheon/speaker grille was made of Ten­ite, which shrinks and warps over time.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $23.50

Num­ber made: 37,116

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Model 41-221CI

The 41-221CI, while iden­ti­cal elec­tri­cal­ly to the 41-221C, had a wal­nut cab­i­net with ivory trim.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $25

Num­ber made: 19,300

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Model 41-225C

The 41-225 used a sim­i­lar chas­sis to the 41-220 mod­els above, with the addi­tion of elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tun­ing. It also received AM and the "police" band (1.6-3.3 mc), and oper­at­ed on 115 volts, AC or DC power.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $26

Num­ber made: 12,525

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Model 41-226C

Also known as "The Sled" due to its unusu­al yet attrac­tive cab­i­net design, it is elec­tri­cal­ly sim­i­lar to the 41-221 mod­els above, but adds elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tun­ing. Short­wave cov­er­age from 9 to 12 mc as well as AM recep­tion are its oth­er fea­tures. It also was designed for 115 volt AC or DC power.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $27.50

Num­ber made: 23,443

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Model 41-230T

The suc­ces­sor to the 1940 mod­el 40-130, the new 1941 mod­el was housed in a Bake­lite cab­i­net that was basi­cal­ly iden­ti­cal to the 41-90CB farm set above, with the addi­tion of two more con­trols for tone and band selection.

It oper­at­ed on 115 volts AC only and received AM and the "police" band (1.5 to 3.5 mc) with its sev­en tubes.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $29.95

Num­ber made: 17,489

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Model 41-235T

A sev­en tube, AC-only table mod­el, this Philco received AM and the "police" band (1.5 to 3.5 mc). Basi­cal­ly a 41-230 in a wood­en cabinet.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $32.50

Num­ber made: 18,595

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Model 41-240T

This two band, sev­en tube mod­el received short­wave (9 to 12 mc) in addi­tion to AM broadcasts.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $35

Num­ber made: 20,141

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Model 41-245T

Anoth­er sev­en tube mod­el, the 245T fea­tured elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tun­ing and three band recep­tion (540-1550 kc, 2-7 mc & 9-12 mc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 22,566

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Model 41-250T

An attrac­tive new "slant front" table mod­el that has been called the "Log Cab­in" by some col­lec­tors because of the unusu­al wood pat­tern on the front of the set. It receives AM and short­wave from 2.2 to 7 mc and 9 to 12 mc and includes elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tun­ing. It uses 8 tubes and oper­ates on 115 volts AC only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.95

Num­ber made: 25,151

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Model 41-255T

Anoth­er new "slant front" table mod­el for the 1941 sea­son, the 41-255 is very sim­i­lar to the 41-250 above, except that it uses nine tubes instead of eight.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 22,742 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1941 mod­el 41-256T)

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Model 41-258F

Sim­i­lar in design to the table mod­el 41-221 sets, the 258F received AM from 540 to 1720 kc and short­wave from 8.8 to 12 mc. It oper­at­ed on 115 volts AC or DC.

This "entry-lev­el" con­sole did not sell very well.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 8,511

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Model 41-260F

A con­sole radio based on the 41-240 chas­sis, the 260F added elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tun­ing and a larg­er speak­er housed in a floor mod­el cab­i­net. It oper­at­ed on 115 volts AC only and received the AM band and short­wave from 9 to 12 mc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.95

Num­ber made: 19,201

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Model 41-265K

Essen­tial­ly a 41-245 in a floor mod­el cab­i­net. This mod­el also received stan­dard AM and two short­wave bands (2 to 7 and 9 to 12 mc). It used sev­en tubes, and oper­at­ed on 115 volts AC. It also fea­tured six elec­tron­ic pushbuttons.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 17,245

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Model 41-280X

A slight refine­ment to the pre­vi­ous year's 40-180 cab­i­net, which housed a new eight tube chas­sis which is near­ly iden­ti­cal to the 41-250T pic­tured above. It was one of Philco's top sell­ers for 1941, and exam­ples are easy to find today.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $69.95

Num­ber made: 81,561

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Model 41-285X

This was the con­sole ver­sion of mod­el 41-255T. It used nine tubes and cov­ered the same bands as the 255T.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $79.95

Num­ber made: 30,422

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Model 41-287X

The 41-287 used the same chas­sis as the 41-285, but was housed in an even more ornate cab­i­net. Oper­at­ing on 115 volts AC only, it received the AM band and short­wave from 2.3 to 7 mc & 9 to 12 mc. This mod­el was avail­able in either Wal­nut or Mahogany.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $85

Num­ber made: 8,010 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Wal­nut and Mahogany versions)

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Model 41-290X

The new 290X, which looks much like a stream­lined "sky­scraper" of the time, con­tained a ten tube chas­sis which was sim­i­lar to that used in the 41-285 & 41-287 above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $89.95

Num­ber made: 47,621

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Model 41-295X

This mod­el used eleven tubes and received AM as well as short­wave from 2.3 to 7 mc, 9 to 12 mc and 13.5 to 18 mc. It includes eight push­but­tons; sev­en for pre­set AM sta­tions and one for off-on con­trol. It oper­at­ed on 115 volts, AC only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $100

Num­ber made: 19,025 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1941 mod­el 41-296X)

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Model 41-300X

An even fanci­er and more expen­sive set than the 41-295 above, it was nev­er­the­less very sim­i­lar to the 295X; the dif­fer­ence being an addi­tion­al tube in the 2nd detec­tor cir­cuit, mak­ing this one a 12 tube radio.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $135

Num­ber made: 10,015

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Model 41-316RX

One of only two wire­less remote con­trol mod­els for the new 1941 sea­son (the oth­er was mod­el 41-616P, see below), the all-new 316 now allowed the set own­er to use mechan­i­cal push­but­tons mount­ed below the dial to select pre­set AM sta­tions, or select them using the wire­less remote.

This mod­el used four­teen tubes, plus an addi­tion­al tube in the remote unit. It oper­at­ed on 115 volts, AC only, and had the same fre­quen­cy cov­er­age as mod­els 41-295 and 41-300 above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $200

Num­ber made: 4,053 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1941 mod­el 41-315X)

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Model 41-KR

A new radio-clock com­bi­na­tion, with a curved bot­tom that was designed to sit on top of the Philco refrig­er­a­tors of the day. The radio used a five-tube chas­sis much like the Philco Tran­si­tone PT-26, and tuned 540 to 1600 kc. Because of the elec­tric clock, how­ev­er, it could only oper­ate on AC cur­rent, 115 volts.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Sold only with Philco Refrig­er­a­tors, not sold separately

Num­ber made: 15,720

Radio-Phonograph models

Model 41-602P

A Philco Tran­si­tone PT-26 chas­sis (AM only, 540-1580 kc) and a sin­gle play 78 rpm phono­graph made up Philco's entry lev­el 1941 radio-phono combination.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $29.95

Num­ber made: 12,052

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Model 41-603P

This classy table mod­el fea­tures recep­tion of the stan­dard AM band and short­wave from 9 to 12 mc. It uses six tubes and oper­ates on 115 volts, AC only due to the phono­graph motor which can­not run on DC current.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 8,761

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Model 41-604P

Philco's low­est priced con­sole radio-phono­graph used the same radio chas­sis as mod­el 41-603P above, cou­pled with a sin­gle play 78 rpm phonograph.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 14,282

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Model 41-605P

This mod­el also used the 41-603 radio chas­sis with an auto­mat­ic record chang­er using a crys­tal pickup.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $89.95

Num­ber made: 22,940 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Jan­u­ary 1941 mod­el 41-625P)

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Model 41-607P

Yet anoth­er Philco radio-phono­graph to use the 41-603 chas­sis, along with the same auto­mat­ic record chang­er as used in mod­el 41-605.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $109.50

Num­ber made: 4,013

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Model 41-608P

Pro­duc­tion fig­ures for this set are not avail­able, but the 41-608 was clear­ly Philco's top sell­ing radio-phono­graph of the 1941 sea­son as many exam­ples sur­vive and are not dif­fi­cult to find.

The set fea­tures Philco's new Beam of Light phono­graph pick­up, used with an auto­mat­ic record chang­er. The radio uses nine tubes and receives the stan­dard AM band and short­wave from 9 to 12 mc.

Some mod­els may be found with the option­al record cut­ter unit; an extra tone arm with a crys­tal car­tridge, used to make 78 rpm record­ings with the blank discs that were avail­able at the time for the purpose.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $129.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

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Model 41-609P

A much fanci­er cab­i­net hous­es the same elec­tron­ics and Beam of Light chang­er as the 41-608P above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $150

Num­ber made: 6,607

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Model 41-610P

A ten tube Philco which received AM and short­wave from 2 to 7 mc and 9 to 12 mc. The large cab­i­net also housed a Beam of Light auto­mat­ic record changer.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $179.95

Num­ber made: 6,358

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Model 41-611P

The elec­tron­ic equiv­a­lent of the 41-610P above, this mod­el uti­lized a much more ornate cabinet.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $225

Num­ber made: 4,272

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Model 41-616P

Philco's best radio-phono­graph for 1941 uti­lized a mod­i­fied 41-316 chas­sis, adding one tube for the Beam of Light phono­graph pre­am­pli­fi­er. Like the 41-316, this mod­el fea­tured wire­less remote con­trol; with this mod­el, the user could con­trol the phono­graph as well as select from six pre­set AM sta­tions with the wire­less remote.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $395

Num­ber made: Unknown

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Model 41-RP2

The RP-2 two-tube wire­less phono­graph received a new cab­i­net for the 1941 sea­son, but was oth­er­wise unchanged from ear­li­er versions.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $19.95

Num­ber made: 15,111 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of mod­el 41-RP15)

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Model 41-RP5

Made for the export mar­ket, the large cab­i­net could sup­port a table mod­el radio. The pull-out front draw­er con­tained the sin­gle play phonograph.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: Unknown

1941 Philco Tropic Models

Model 41-705T

A reis­sue of the pre­vi­ous year's 40-710T, this mod­el also received three bands: 540-1600 kc, 2.3-7.2 mc & 7.0-24 mc. It used five tubes and oper­at­ed on 115 volts, AC or DC current.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: Unknown

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Models 41-708T, 41-712T & 41-713T

These three band Trop­ic mod­els dif­fer in the pow­er sup­plies used in each. The 41-708 oper­ates from a sin­gle 6-volt stor­age bat­tery. The 41-712 runs on 115 or 230 volts AC only. And the 41-713 will oper­ate on 115 or 230 volts, AC or DC.

All three mod­els receive the fol­low­ing bands: 540-1600 kc, 2.3-7.2 mc & 7-24 mc. The three use the Bake­lite cab­i­net, which is iden­ti­cal in appear­ance to domes­tic mod­els 41-90CB & 41-230T.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown

Num­ber made: Not avail­able (41-708T), 11,350 (41-712T & 41-713T combined)

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Model 41-714T

A six tube Trop­ic mod­el designed to run on either 115 or 230 volts, AC cur­rent only. The 41-714 received AM and short­wave from 2.3-7.2 & 7-24 mc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $75

Num­ber made: 4,051

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Model 41-722T

This Trop­ic mod­el used six tubes and received 540 to 1720 kc, 2.3 to 7.1 mc & 7 to 22 mc. It was designed to oper­ate on either 115 or 230 volt, AC only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $100

Num­ber made: 2,902

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Models 41-745T, 41-758T, 41-759T

These three band Trop­ic mod­els dif­fer in the pow­er sup­plies used in each. The 41-745T uses sev­en tubes and oper­ates from a sin­gle 6-volt stor­age bat­tery. The 41-758 has eight tubes and runs on 115 or 230 volts, AC only. The 41-759 uses eight tubes plus a bal­last tube. It was designed to oper­ate on 115 or 230 volts, AC or DC.

All three mod­els receive the fol­low­ing bands: 540-1720 kc, 2.3-7.1 mc & 7-22 mc. The three sets use wood cab­i­nets which are iden­ti­cal in appearance.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: Unknown (41-745T & 41-759T), $125 (41-758T)

Num­ber made: 6,276 (41-745T, 41-758T & 41-759T combined)

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Model 41-788T

A very large table mod­el, this was Philco's first Trop­ic to include indi­vid­ual tun­ing ranges for five major short­wave bands in addi­tion to three con­ven­tion­al tun­ing bands. In all, the 41-788 could tune from 540 kc to 22 mc. Using eleven tubes, this mod­el oper­at­ed on 115 or 230 volts, AC only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $150

Num­ber made: Unknown

1941 Philco Transitone Models

Model PT-30

The cab­i­net of this mod­el is yet anoth­er incar­na­tion of the set first intro­duced as mod­el 38-12CB in Jan­u­ary 1938. This mod­el, how­ev­er, uti­lized a chas­sis designed to oper­ate on 115 volts, AC or DC. Using five tubes, it receives the AM band only. It has a larg­er speak­er than its looka­like mod­els, and is an excel­lent per­former when prop­er­ly restored.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $13.95

Num­ber made: 46,116

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Model PT-42

This new Tran­si­tone con­tains a 5-tube AC/DC chas­sis which receives 540 to 1600 kc AM only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $15.95

Num­ber made: 12,383

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Model PT-44

Inside this attrac­tive wal­nut cab­i­net is a chas­sis which is iden­ti­cal to mod­el PT-42 above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $18.75

Num­ber made: 11,303

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Model PT-49

A PT-30 chas­sis in a dec­o­ra­tive wood­en cabinet.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $19.95

Num­ber made: 5,700

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