The PHILCO Phorum
Is this 20 or 21? - Printable Version

+- The PHILCO Phorum (https://philcoradio.com/phorum)
+-- Forum: Philco Radio Discussions (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=5)
+--- Forum: Philco Home Radios (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=6)
+--- Thread: Is this 20 or 21? (/showthread.php?tid=19237)


Is this 20 or 21? - morzh - 11-14-2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Philco-Cathedral-Tube-Radio-Model-20-E-Very-Good-Condition/323548221790?hash=item4b54fa115e:rk:4:pf:0


The cabinet is 70 with no middle power switch hole, so this should make it 21, right? 
The chassis is from 20 (so it says).
I know they used some 20 chassis in 21 but did they say so in the label?

RE: Is this 20 or 21? - Radioroslyn - 11-14-2018

It's a 20 chassis.
The 20 has that square metal can filter cap.
The 21 has a round single 14mfd mounted where the square is. there's a cover plate to cover the square hole in the chassis w/a round hole to mount the round cap.

RE: Is this 20 or 21? - Ron Ramirez - 11-14-2018

> Up for offer vintage 1931 Philco cathedral tube radio model 20E.

Nowhere on the label does it say "20E" - it says "MODEL 20".

> Knobs are original.

No, that tuning knob is not original (too large).

Early production 21 sets did indeed use leftover 20 chassis, and the label stated "MODEL 20". I owned one once, and while the label did read MODEL 20, the label was slightly different from this older label. And my 20/21 also had the same knobs as regular Model 20 sets, not the rosettes they switched to later on.

RE: Is this 20 or 21? - morzh - 11-14-2018

Ron

So, is it a 21? (I guess that was my question). Considering we do know they used 20 chassis. Even if with a wrong knob.

RE: Is this 20 or 21? - Ron Ramirez - 11-14-2018

Technically, yes.

RE: Is this 20 or 21? - morzh - 11-14-2018

technically.....so you have a suspicion it was combined from two radios? And was not sold as a 21?
Then again if this is a valid way of being a 21, then it is a 21, right? Even if it wasn't sold as one? I mean, if I swap a bad rusty chassis in, say, a 70 for a good one from another 70, that will not make a radio non-authentic? So should be this one too then?

RE: Is this 20 or 21? - morzh - 11-15-2018

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_cathedral_20_e.html


So, there was a 20-E model after all.....it is probably a European version as it says "230V 50-60Hz".
Otherwise it is exactly the same as 21.

The guy found that and this is why he though it was a 20-E, but his is 21.

RE: Is this 20 or 21? - Ron Ramirez - 11-15-2018

Any Philco model number ending in "E" or "EZ" indicates a set made in USA but intended for export.

While the Radiomuseum set is an export model, the set linked in your first post above (the eBay ad) is not.