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High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - Printable Version

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High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - Skateboardgumby - 08-27-2017

I have noticed an unusually large concentration of vintage radios for sale in the North and Northeast. I seldom see any in the South. What can account for this skewed distribution of Philco radios?
as always
Garrett Meadows

RE: High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - sdradioman - 08-27-2017

I have alway thought this too... I have had a lot of conversations with collectors on this subject... Many of them, and I believe it myself, was population and wealth... Also most of the radio manufacturers where in the eastern half of the country... Take Philco, they where out of Philadelphia... RCA, they where out of New Jersey... Zenith, they where out of Chicago.. There was a lot higher population and wealth in the north eastern part of the country at the times these radios where built.... most of those radios have stayed in that area for the last 70+ years, and are now coming up for sale... I live out in South Dakota and there are barely any high end radios here... Back then there was little to no population here and no one could afford most radios... Plus most of the farms here didnt even get modern electricity until the late 40's into the 50's... Most of what you see here are farm radios(battery powered) and for some reason a lot of Silvertones... Most likely due to the Sears & Roebuck catalogs and that they too where located in Chicago... The last couple radios I bought where a Zenith 15U269 and a pair of 38-690's... I had to drive 21 hours round trip to get them because those types of radios just never made it this far west... And from what it sounds like, the South too... It seems to me that all the money was in the Northeast at the time and that is where the radio manufacturers where located, so thats where all the radios ended up...

RE: High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - Skateboardgumby - 08-27-2017

I had a similar train of thought: concentration of wealth, proliferation of manufacturers, etc. From the 1920s to as late as the 1950s, the majority of the south was still undeveloped and poor. Like you, I've resigned myself to harsh reality that if I am ever going to own the kind of console Philco radio I want, I'm going to have to drive perhaps a 1000 miles. I can fully appreciate driving 21 hours round trip. I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and there was a guy in Houston whose father died and left behind some Philco radios he was selling. Before I could could get away to drive to Houston, the radios were snapped up. There was a guy in Vermont who had the exact console Philco I wanted. I was going to send him the money to pay for the radio and hold it until I could find some way to get it. After facing reality, I let it go. Oh well. I'm hoping to find someone in the forum with a console Philco to sell and hang on to it until I can orchestrate some way to get. So, the search continues. Thanks for your response. I appreciate it. as always, Garrett Meadows

RE: High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - Radioroslyn - 08-28-2017

So what pray tell are you looking for in terms of a Philco console??
If you have some time to kill in a couple of weeks there is a BIG radio meet in Pa. Lots of folks and radios too. A lot of times the consoles go begging unless their something special.

RE: High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - Paul Philco322 - 08-28-2017

The radios are up here because Kirk aka Old Restorer has bought 75 percent of the radios available for sale in the United States Icon_wink

Paul

RE: High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - robsradioactive - 09-21-2017

Not just radios. Look at the locations of most any vintage electronics--test equipment--or whatever. The bulk of it is east or northeast.

Rob

RE: High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - tbone - 09-26-2017

I found this information on the American Radio History website. It starts on page 24 and list a breakdown of all the radio homes as if Jan 1, 1937. Not sure how this was all obtained, but interesting none the less. Pretty much matches what we knew all along.

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Retailing/30s/Radio-Retailing-1937-01.pdf

RE: High concentration of radios in North/Northeast - robsradioactive - 09-26-2017

Very interesting. (I love that website!)
Rob