The PHILCO Phorum
511 coffin with a floral motif - Printable Version

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511 coffin with a floral motif - Brad Winder - 06-24-2023

So, I have watched this 511 for a few months; it is (was) for sale near Vancouver, BC, Canada. I decided to take the chance on it, paid by e-transfer and will pick it up in August while on vacation. 

What are your opinions on this set. It is tagged as a 511, but the case colour doesn't appear dark enough to be Spanish Brown. Plus the floral painting looks similar in style to the 512-514 sets.
So, later production variant? Replacement colour scheme for the poor selling 515? Enterprising dealer that had a 511 done up locally for the Vancouver market? Later "reproduction"? It's definitely not a Canadian-built variant, since Philco didn't have their Canadian plant up and running until 1930...

RE: 511 coffin with a floral motif - Ron Ramirez - 06-24-2023

The dark areas look about right, but the lighter areas appear to have been repainted. Actually, the entire thing was probably repainted, as there are no thin gold pinstripes on the left and right front panels or on the lid as an original would have.

And the Spanish Brown 511 never had any flowers applied at the factory. The flower on the lid of this one was very nicely done...but it isn't original.

RE: 511 coffin with a floral motif - Ron Ramirez - 06-24-2023

Forgot to mention -

It looks like one of those audio transformers on your set looks like an older (as in mid-1920s) replacement.

Wouldn't a model originally made for Canadian sale be more likely to be a 25 cycle model (which would be model 521), since much of your country had 25 cycle AC back then?

And if it had originally been a 515, the model number would be stamped as such on the model number tag.

Still, it's not a bad looking set, enjoy it.

RE: 511 coffin with a floral motif - GarySP - 06-24-2023

It may not be original, but that rose is a very impressive 'embellishment'. I would leave it. Take care and BE HEALTHY! Gary

RE: 511 coffin with a floral motif - radiorich - 06-25-2023

Hello Brad,
Wow someone really did nice job at one time redoing that radio !

Sincerely Richard

RE: 511 coffin with a floral motif - Arran - 06-26-2023

The flowers are a water transfer decal, I've seen those on a homemade doll cradle recently. There was a model 511 for sale in Victoria a year or two ago, and it had been repainted much more crudely, even though the seller claimed it was all original. There was at least one business in the Vancouver area that was importing, and reselling used radios from the U.S back in the 1940s, I have a Silvertone set with their decal on the back, so it may or may not have been sold in Canada originally. 
Regards
Arran

RE: 511 coffin with a floral motif - Ron Ramirez - 06-26-2023

Arran, I think you may be correct. Upon closer examination of the photos I do believe that may very well be a decal, as the artwork looks too good to have been painted freehand unless done by an expert painter.

RE: 511 coffin with a floral motif - Brad Winder - 06-27-2023

Ah, that is why it has a peeling clear finish; it's had a clear top coat over the decals.

I still like it; the colour and flowers go together. I will keep it as is.

When I buy sets with well done, historical types of modifications, I almost always keep them as-is. If the modifications have been poorly done, then I always restore back to original if possible.

Ron, most areas of Canada did have 25-40 cycle power, but I've found that there are certain large areas that had 50-60 cycle. Any sets that I have purchased out of lower-mainland BC have been 60 cycle. Saskatchewan seems to have had 60 cycle, at least in the southern portion.

Ontario sets seem to be 25 cycle. Most radios from Alberta, where I live, seem to be 25 cycle.