The PHILCO Phorum
Little Mystery Radio - Printable Version

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Little Mystery Radio - 1MohrRadio - 04-22-2018

About a month ago I picked up this little radio out of curiosity. It might be a Philco or some kind of derivative, I am not sure.  I am looking for input.  
 It is small.  About 30 inches tall and about 15 by 15 square.  It is more like a nightstand than a chair side or a console. The only name on it is the word "Victory" on the bezel.  

   

  When I finally got around to pulling the chassis, I found a decal on the side that resembles the decal on a Philco 20 tube shield but it mentions models 221 and 21.  

   

  The chassis does not quite match the picture on the tube shield. The tubes are not all in the right place and the IFs are mounted under the chassis.  Does anybody recognize this radio or have any idea.

   

   

Thanks for any info or speculation.

Dwayne

RE: Little Mystery Radio - morzh - 04-22-2018

I think someone has stuffed a 20 into a self-made or third party chassis. The shield IS from 20 and the label shows the 20 chassis.
Self made.
Not Philco - made, even if parts of it are used.
Cabinet could be from some older record player, re-purposed for a radio.

RE: Little Mystery Radio - 1MohrRadio - 04-22-2018

I tend to agree with you.  The odd thing is the decal is the same as the decal on a 20 but it says model 221 and 21.  I can't find a model 21 in the gallery.

RE: Little Mystery Radio - Ron Ramirez - 04-22-2018

(04-22-2018, 12:39 PM)1MohrRadio Wrote:  I can't find a model 21 in the gallery.

http://philcoradio.com/gallery2/1931a/#Baby_Grand_Models_21_46

Only the shield is from a 21. That is not a Philco chassis.

Thread moved to Other Radios (Non-Philco).

RE: Little Mystery Radio - 1MohrRadio - 04-22-2018

Thanks, Ron. Now I know for sure that it is not a phorgotten Philco.

RE: Little Mystery Radio - Radioroslyn - 04-22-2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vintage-Philco-Model-21-Antique-AM-radio-art-deco-NO-RESERVE/332625238436?hash=item4d720259a4:g:LDUAAOSwkRJa1-Gi

RE: Little Mystery Radio - morzh - 04-22-2018

Terry

Yes I'm watching that one too. Then again.....what do I do with the cabinet....and the radio is essentially another 20 of which I have 3 already.

RE: Little Mystery Radio - Electrothaumaturgist - 04-22-2018

And only $85.50 shipping!!!

RE: Little Mystery Radio - Arran - 04-23-2018

The chassis looks factory made, the tube shield came form a Philco model 21 or related model obviously. That layout with the RF coils under the chassis in horizontal mounted cans looks familiar for some reason, I wonder if it was a U.S Radio and TV built set?
Regards
Arran

RE: Little Mystery Radio - 1MohrRadio - 04-24-2018

You are right Arran, the chassis is clearly not a hack job but the Philco shield is not OEM. You can't see from the picture but the shield is just short of the depth of the chassis. It appears that whoever added it put a spot of solder on the front to hold it in place (it didn't). The tolerance between the cabinet and chassis is very tight and it is hard to remove.

RE: Little Mystery Radio - palegreenthumb - 04-25-2018

I've seen the RF cans mounted under the chassis like that on several Pierce Airo radios (DeWald brand).

E.g. Look at this DeWald 524:  https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/dewald_524.html

Did Pierce Airo make their own radios?  I do know those DeWald radios will show up with other names on them, like "Little Giant."  Maybe Victory was a rebadged Pierce Airo radio.

I think the cabinet looks real enough... production model, IOW. Just the tube shield is an add-on. Probably the original shield got lost and someone substituted a close fit.

RE: Little Mystery Radio - Arran - 04-26-2018

Pierce Airo was the original name for DeWald, it was not a private label. The chassis in the set linked to is similar but not quite the same. I don't think the mystery radio is a U.S Radio and TV/Apex built set either, those seem to have data plates riveted to the back of the chassis, however the tuning condenser looks the same, so whomever it was used the same suppliers. 
Regards
Arran