[phil vanderoef]

I just obtained a gorgeous Silvertone "Grandmother" clock/radio. The radio chassis has 1- 80tube, 2- 45 tubes, 3- 24A tubes. I think this is a Philco mfg. chassis - I'm I correct? It was mfg. between 1931-1932. The 45 tubes are the "balloon" type. Thanks, Phil

[Ron Ramirez]

Sears contracted with others (notably Colonial Radio) to make their Silvertone line of radios...but not with Philco. As far as I know the only other manufacturers Philco was involved with pre-war was the Radiobar Corporation (supplying chassis for the Radiobars) and IBM (a joint venture making two-way sound systems which included radio receiving equipment) for schools, industrial and maritime use.

[Doug Houston]

That's how I've always heard it, Ron. Sears-Roebuck owned Colonial Radio, so I've read. Philco never supplied sets to "private brands", such as Silvertone, Truetone, Coronado, and so on.

A lot of the private brand sets were supplied by Detrola, Clinton, Belmont, Wells-Gardner, and even RCA. As a rule, you can tell who made the chassis, just by its appearance.