For several years, I have admired the three dial breadboard radios which were made by the Atwater Kent Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia between 1923 and 1925. On the occasions I was able to attend the Kutztown swap meets, I would pass AK breadboard sets in some booths and promise myself that “someday”, I too would own one.

Actually, I did own an AK breadboard at one time, many years ago. I stumbled onto a very rare Model 9A breadboard at a local antique/junk shop back in the 1980s. $100 was a princely sum of money to me back then. But I saved up the money, the radio was still there when I did so, and it became mine. I really should have kept that one, but it is now long gone.

The early part of this year brought not so good news to me regarding my cancer – it was no longer in remission but had become active again. With Debbie’s encouragement, and feeling this was probably my last chance, I went on the hunt for an AK model 10, 10-A, or 10-B. I really didn’t want a 10-C as they seem to be the most common of the 10 series AK breadboard models.

Now a bit of explanation and background before I proceed. Atwater Kent had been in the business of producing automotive parts, chiefly ignition systems. In early 1922 the company entered the radio business with its first radio part, a variometer. By the latter part of that year, they were making complete breadboard receivers along with the parts for experimenters to assemble their own radios.

By Fall 1923, models 9 and 10 were introduced. Model 9 used a Type 11 tuner and a coupled circuit tuner along with four tubes. Model 10 used three variable condensers and five tubes. The 9A I once owned was probably built in early 1924 and differed from the original model 9 by the use of a battery cable instead of binding posts on the breadboard for battery connections.

Likewise, the main difference between model 10 and 10-A was the battery cable used in the 10-A. The model 10 (and the short-lived Radiodyne) used binding posts to connect the batteries.

I soon found a model 10-A on eBay that seemed to be at a reasonable price, and purchased it. It was packed extremely well and arrived in fine shape. It came with a complete set of five Cunningham CX-301A tubes.

My model 10-A, no. 4560, was introduced in January 1924 and appears to be a transitional model. The early 10-A sets, along with all model 10 receivers, had Atwater Kent nameplates on their RF coils and variable condensers. Later 10-A sets do not have these nameplates. My 10-A has the nameplates on the variable condensers, but not on the coils.

I have no intention of trying to make this radio work as it was purchased strictly for display, or as a “shelf queen” if you will. It will be 100 years old next year. The only thing I would like to do to this set is to find and purchase a set of five brass base, tip-top, dud UV-201A display tubes to install in this set strictly to make the set appear as it likely did when new in early 1924.

If you have an interest in early Atwater Kent radios, I highly recommend the book A. Atwater Kent: The Man, the Manufacturer and His Radios, by Ralph Williams and John P. Wolkonowicz, edited by Donald O. Patterson. Unfortunately, the book appears to be out of print; however, the Antique Radio Classified website still lists this book as being available from them for $25.95. Click here for more information.