[37silverstreak]

Hi to everyone,
I'm just home after a grueling 1600 mile round trip from my home in eastern Wis. to Hershey PA. for the fall classic Hershey car show. I'm an antique car nut as well and this was my first time out there with my friend and fellow "nut" who goes every year.
After having our hotel reservations changed literally a 1/2 hr before we left for PA. due to the floods, an all nighter of driving 800 miles directly to the show and then walking the swap meet for close to 10 hours and then finally getting to the new hotel after about 28 sleepless hours, I was a wreck and wondering why the H**l I had decided to do this! This was just the first day and I still had two more to go !
Next day, still depressed at the realization that I'm not nearly as young as I used to be, I started out again . after about 5 rows in the meet I saw a vendor unloading this and my day got instantly better !! Controlling my excitement I walked over and asked the guy how much he wanted for it, waiting for the whacked out price I was expecting to hear----- $125.00---- SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think I've ever whipped out my wallet faster!! He didn't know anything about radios and I wouldn't tell him what he had until I paid him !
In case you haven't guessed it's a model 513 Labrador Gray with matching speaker. and it's in excellent shape. the horribly unfortunate thing is that the vendors kid put his/her hand through the grill cloth loading it into the van . I going to try and see if I can fix it. If not I have a 511 speaker with good cloth I will swap out. Fortunately they didn't damage the cone. the chassis is rust free with all matching Cunningham balloon style tubes. Even the cord is in excellent shape. The stand looks like it is made for this set. the colors match and the radio fits exactly into it. Did Philco offer a stand? this one has a sticker on the bottom of the shelf which reads "Robert Findlay MFG. Co. inc. Metal products, NY and Brooklyn" it is very ornate. I must apologize, I'm very tired from a 13 hr drive and when I took these photos I had the radio on the stand backwards. there are four ornate corner pieces on the front of the stand that aren't showing here. I will try and take some better pictures tomorrow.
I am ecstatic at finding this and just had to share!!!
Kevin

Note from site admin: Sorry, but the photos which were attached to this post are no longer available.

[TA Forbes]

Fantastic luck! You dont run into these very often. At least I don't.

Well done!!

[Ron Ramirez]

Hi

Great find! That stand is surely an aftermarket (third party) item, Philco documentation from 1928 does not picture or mention such a stand. The only stand Philco offered during that time was a wooden table with a built-in speaker, made for one of their 511 series of sets to sit upon.

http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1928.htm#i

[Marsupial]

It might not be made by Philco, but it sure looks like it has been made for this radio. color, style and sizes are too good a match to be pure random

[37silverstreak]

Thanks guys! I'm very happy to have found this set. I've wanted a handpainted Philco for years and this was the last place I would have thought about finding one! It literally made my trip worth while.
This set is in really nice original condition. No rust or excessive paint loss. The stand is a bit of a mystery though. It may not be made by Philco but it was definetley designed for this set. the top of the stand is recessed and the radio fits exactly into it. Also the colors of the stand are an exact match of labrador gray color scheme. I agree with Marsupial- it's too much of a coincidence!
Anyway, I love the overall look of this Philco with this stand! She is definatley going to have a place of honor in my collection!
Kevin

[Ron Ramirez]

I didn't say it wasn't made to fit the Philco - no doubt it was intended for use with the Philco metal sets. What I said was, it was not made by Philco.

Back "in the day," there were aftermarket accessories for radios - including complete custom cabinets. Just like today, where you can get things like custom third party covers for your cell phones that fit your phone, but weren't made by the cellphone manufacturer.

[Chicago Jimmy]

That's very cool...nice find. A car show is the last place I would expect to find this.

[Marsupial]

Ron, I was not doubting what you said, but reinforcing the opinion stating that this was an aftermarket stand for this specific radio, not just "some radio"

What I still don't know is if there is an added collectible value from such aftermarket products.

[37silverstreak]

Ron, I was not doubting what you said, but reinforcing the opinion stating that this was an aftermarket stand for this specific radio, not just "some radio"

What I still don't know is if there is an added collectible value from such aftermarket products.

Same here,I'm not doubting any body. my knowledge here is limited and I am very grateful for anyone's opinion. I have no doubts that this stand is a third party manufacturer, the decal under the shelf clearly states that. I am just intrigued as to the story behind it, i.e. how was it marketed and how was it available to customers? The matching colors indicate it was intended for this very model set, which would mean there would probably be different colors for the other models as well. So, was it made available through a Philco dealer or mail order or department store? Who knows? For me it just makes it more interesting.

[Doug Houston]

I used to go to Hershey every year for possibly 10 years. It was nothing but fun, and I found a lot of car parts I needed, and several radios as well.

I can't walk the fields now, and I've outgrown my needs for car parts, so I can't join in the fun anymore. I understand however, that you can rent a golf cart for the whole meet, and go bombing around all you want. I understand also, that the whole place is blacktopped.

[Marsupial]

I am just intrigued as to the story behind it, i.e. how was it marketed and how was it available to customers? The matching colors indicate it was intended for this very model set, which would mean there would probably be different colors for the other models as well. So, was it made available through a Philco dealer or mail order or department store? Who knows? For me it just makes it more interesting.

Same here. I imagine the guy purchased the radio, speaker and stan altogether. Maybe a promotion? As I said, I don't know the collectible value of aftermarket furniture but this somehow intrigues me more than aftermarket cabinets or modifications.

[37silverstreak]

I used to go to Hershey every year for possibly 10 years. It was nothing but fun, and I found a lot of car parts I needed, and several radios as well.

I can't walk the fields now, and I've outgrown my needs for car parts, so I can't join in the fun anymore. I understand however, that you can rent a golf cart for the whole meet, and go bombing around all you want. I understand also, that the whole place is blacktopped.

This was my first year at Hershey. My friend goes every year. It was fun but physically very grueling. plus it's an 800 mile trip one way for us in Wis. The whole meet is now on the grounds for Hershey park and it is all very flat and paved and yes they do have a lot of people in carts- I was starting to wish I had rented one ! The last place I expected to find any radio's and yet I found my 513 there as well as an early American Bosch for 20 bucks and two vintage Variacs for $35.

[Glenn Roberts]

What a great find!! I google searched the table manufacturer. I found something I thought was interesting:

http://www.crosleyradios.com/pdf/Broadcaster_020129.pdf

look at page 13 it shows a table from the same manufacturer, looks similar. The whole "magazine" is pretty interesting, of course it's slanted toward a particular manufacturer, which I won't name..

Glenn

[Texasrocker]

Great Finds indeed!! I have seen a few old photographs of 1920's era Radio Stores windows displays on ebay in the past, and noticed the old metal radio stands built back in those days. They look similar in design as the old sewing machine tables/ frames were made ( such as Singer)but were designed for radios and speaker instead. Enjoy your finds!!

[TA Forbes]

Back when this radio was manufactured there were numerous local industries that made small furniture and cabinet items in addition to national companies that made accessories for daily life. Radio tables and stands would have been a popular item for them to make and sell.

If you want to see an interesting example simply locate a Sears Roebuck catalog from back then.