In order to make this guide as concise as possible, I won’t go into every model Philco produced. I suggest that you take a look through the online Photo Gallery to see when individual Philco models were made.

In the meantime, here is an age guide which may prove helpful:

If the radio has a small metal plate on top of the chassis in black, and is USA produced with the Philco with lightning bolt logo, it is a 1928 model.

If the radio has a decal in back of the chassis with the old-style Philco logo with the lightning bolt, it is either a 1929, 1930 or early 1931 model.

If the set’s patent number decal has a variation of the old-style Philco logo, without the lightning bolt, it is a 1931 model.

If the set has a decal on the front of the cabinet with the newer Philco logo in block lettering, has a small window dial, and does not have a model number which begins with two digits and a dash (i.e. 37-), it was made between 1932 and 1935.

If the set has an oval escutcheon, taller than wide, it is a 1936 model.

If the set has a model number beginning with two digits and a dash (i.e. 37-), it was made between 1937 and 1953, as follows:

No Philco radios for civilian use were made between Spring 1942 and December 1945, so there are no 43-, 44- or 45- prefixes in the chart above.

Philco sets made after the 1953 model year start with a letter instead of the last two digits of the model year, as follows:

In addition, early Philco transistor radio model numbers start with a T-.

Note that the guide above applies to Philco radios made in the USA. Philco models produced in the UK, in Canada (after 1938 ), and elsewhere have their own model number system.

What about those labels inside Philco cabinets that start with a 39- and end with four digits?

People are often fooled by these tube layout labels on the inside of Philco radio cabinets.

Many of these, generally from 1939 on up, have a large part number at the lower left edge of the label. This part number starts with a 39- followed by four digits (example: 39-5268 ).

This is not the model year of the radio. It is a Philco part number for the label itself!

Do your research carefully. You can find some help here (scroll to the bottom of the post). Don’t be fooled. That “rare 1939 model 39-6729” is really a late 1940 model PT-50!