The PHILCO Phorum

Welcome to the Phorum Claude!!! That set was made for export so the gallery photos will not match because they are US models only. There are a few photos from the UK models on the site and some from Canada although that metal plate indicates Made in USA for export. I can not read the chassis number which would be the model I think. The paper label on the inside of the cabinet sometimes has the model also. Some of the more experienced folks on here may recognize it or have more information for you. If you can list the vacuum tubes that are in the set, sometimes that can help identify it as well.

Bob

Even though it does look like export, why 115V and not 220? Though possibly they had 110V back then in Europe...Russia had 127V, and all electronics mfrd up till 80s had 220/127V switch.

Hi Claude, and welcome!

As Bob (klondike98 ) and Mike (morzh) have stated, what you have is a Philco with a chassis made in USA for export. The cabinet is quite plain, which I find very unusual, plus the round dial which Philco did not use in USA and Canada models.

I cannot quite make out the "Chassis Type" numbers on the metal tag, what does this read? This will help identify the radio. The paper inside the cabinet will also help, most likely.

I see to remember seeing some pictures of British Philcos that looked like they had round "Airplane" style dials but it's hard to tell since they were black and white photos from an advertisement, and they were not quite the same. The older British Philcos all used chassis imported from the U.S, installed into British built cabinets, I'm not sure what they did in France. One way to date the set would be to see what sort of tubes were used, Philco didn't start using octal based tubes until the 1937 model year, and they were all glass types. Where the chassis type is marked it looks like the number has been overstamped, it looks like it says 61127, with the 7 stamped over top of the letter "C" in Code, the code number looks like it says 321, if it were a domestic U.S or Canada set it would say Code 121. Both the numbers for chassis type and code look like they were punched in there with a different set of dies then the voltage, line frequency, and wattage numbers.
Regards
Arran

Good morning from Normandy - France Sirs

And many thanks for explanations .

for the moment I cannot provide list of lamps as I am not in possession of the radio .

What I suppose to read on the label is chassis type 611??.

For the voltage : indeed at that time ( 1935 years ) voltage in France was stil 110V , change in most of cities for 220V was made from 1955 , but most of equipments, french produced, were as anticipation foregone for both voltages 110 and 220 v , even more as for the radio sets : 110 - 125 - 150 - 220 - 240.
For exemple I still have the radio set from my grand parents , dated 1936 , with a trafo multi voltages .

I am also reticent to buy this radio as the vendor in the avertising , says he has connected the set on 220 Volts !! and so the radio sizzle . I suppose the trafo could have been damaged ... what' s a pity .

We find sometimes US radio sets for collection in France as this one .

From my side I am owner of a small Emerson one , Westinghouse , and RCA meuble .

I have neighbour owner of a Philco labelled " chassis type 640 " see fotos .

But I notice the 640 does not fit excactly with the fotos of the radio I made in his home ... ???

The owner does not want to sell it for the moment . so I am waiting .....

Well , I thank you very much for the reply and informations provided

As information , you can see hereafter a small part of my radio collection , especiaally french and german brands including several meubles , very cumbersome .

sorry : I forgot to joign the link !!!

http://www.radiomuseum.org/collection/cl...oulet.html

best regards

Claude

It is unfortunate that the seller plugged into the 220v line. It surely would have damaged the set! Hope you are able to find another Philco to collect.

Claude

Assuming this European Philco 611 is the same chassis as the USA 611, it does not have a power transformer; it is an AC/DC chassis with a series filament string. But what is strange about the tag on this set is that it states 115 volts, 50-60 cycles, which generally indicates a set with a power transformer.

Now, if that 611 is an AC/DC set and is indended for use on 115 volt mains..and was not modified for use with 230 volt mains...once it was plugged into 230 volt mains, every tube (valve) would likely burn out due to the set receiving twice the designed supply voltage.

I once owned a Philco 2620B which had a USA-built 2620 chassis and a cabinet that looked like it had been built by Philco's UK subsidiary in Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex:



Another one I should have kept...

But anyway...I seem to recall that this set, too, was designed for 115 volt AC. The words on the dial scale were mostly in French, which led me to believe it was intended for export to France and/or French-speaking countries.

Now about that 640B. Almost two years ago, there was a thread here in the Phorum regarding a Philco 98B, owned by a gentleman in Ireland. The chassis turned out to be identical to a USA 640, but the cabinet was identical to the one you posted photos of above.

http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=5299

That cabinet looks to me like it, too, was made in Perivale (UK).

Yes Claude, its the same here in the States...."Its working because I plugged it in and the light came on but there is no sound...probably just needs a new tube."

It's too bad that Syl isn't here to help interpret, those online translators are terrible. I'm pretty sure that the set inquired about is not a series string set, it looked like there was a transformer peeking out from behind the tubes somewhere in there.
Regards
Arran