[TA Forbes]

I recently found this console and could not pass it up. The chassis decals are gone as well as the tube diagram on the inside of the cabinet. The chassis/knobs/escutchion/speaker are philco 116. Is this a Philco factory "franken-radio," ie an earlier cabinet with a 1935 radio? It is 44 inches tall, a very tall radio.

[Image: http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa37...16H017.jpg]

more pics:
http://s1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa37...co%20116H/

[Doug Houston]

It looks legit to me; in fact pretty nice. However, Ron is the one to rule on it. It'll be interesting what he has to say.

If it's a Franken, it's very well done.

[Ron Ramirez]

Hi,

Tom, that is a very neat and interesting looking radio. However, there is no documentation showing Philco offered the 116 in anything other than the two tombstone models, the 116X, and the 116PX radio-phonograph.

Although your set looks like it has the Philco "V" (chevron) grillecloth of the period, the cabinet itself does not follow the usual Philco styling cues.

It isn't listed in Philco Furniture History.

I firmly believe this is an aftermarket cabinet with a 116B chassis.

Notice the speaker - if this had been a Philco factory console issue, it (more than likely) would have used one of those big U-9 speakers with the massive field coil instead of the H-13 used in your set, which is the same setup as used in the early 116B. Plus, your set has the smaller power transformer typical of 116 Code 121 sets, and I suspect your audio output tubes are 42s and not 6A3s.

As I said, this can be a very interesting and unusual radio in your collection. But the cabinet is not an original Philco factory issue; I feel it is an aftermarket (third party) custom cabinet made for a 116B chassis and speaker.

[TA Forbes]

Thanks for the research, Ron, I think you are right on. The cabinet has none of the typical Philco labels and no sigh that they ever were there. Additionally there is no "Philco" decal anywhere on the cabinet face. Yes, the outputs are 42 and the rectifier is an 80 vice a 5Z3.

It is interesting that the grillecloth is period chevron grillecloth, not a recent replacement. I wonder if this is an option offered by a dealer in conjunction with a local furniture company? Kind of like buying a ford mustang and having ford ship the car to Saleen to modify it into a "Saleen" mustang.

You often hear of furniture companies offering cabinets for different manufacturer/model radios, I think this is one of those. If it is a one-off made by someone for a customer's 116, it is very professionally done.

I have a "skyscraper" style table model cabinet made by a company in Illinois that came with an early silvertone chassis in it, not unlike the chassis in my model 1471. I don't believe that I included it in any of my collection pics, I need to do that.