[mornflt]

I am told that this was a hand made radio cabinet and given the my grandparents as a wedding gift in 1918. I remember seeing the radio as a child, but it has since been taken out and replaced with a tv. The cabinet is solid walnut and hand carved. I sure think it deserves a nice old vintage radio chassis with a large speaker but have no idea which one. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[morzh]

A beautifull cabinet.

But it does not have the front panel, or the chassis hoding shelf.
Unless those exist or are made, I do not see how a chassis can go in there.

[mornflt]

As I remember, there was a front plate with some large black knobs and a large speaker opening covered with grill cloth. I guess I was just about five years old at the time. I imagine there was a shelf for the chaises. I don't remember a dial plate or lights.

[jerryhawthorne]

As Morzh indicated, that is a drop dead lovely piece of work. If indeed was was a gift in 1918 I doubt at that time it had a radio in it. Not to say that it could not have had one sometime in the 20s added in the cabinet. After removal of the tV you might see some signs on the inside of a shelf as was mentioned that would hold a radio chassis and perhaps some sign of a front panel which would hold a speaker and holes for the radio controls and dial. That panel would have to be constructed for mounting what ever radio chassis (vintage) and speaker. It would take some skilled woodworking to make this and have it look right when the doors are opened. Well worth the effort if you like old radios. As it is it certainly is a nice accent piece for a house, hiding a TV.
Best, Jerry

Sorry Mornfit, I was typing this as you were responding.

[tab10672]

As you said, the radio would have had large black knobs 2 or 3. Cabinets were made to hold the old regens and trf's. Rather than a speaker it should have been some type of horn reproducer. I have a couple cabinets like this (not near as fancy as yours) and rather than hold a chassis and have a panel for the knob shafts to stick through you would set the entire Radio/box on the top and the horn on bottom there was usually also a shelf to hold the batteries.

So to answer your question... An old 3knob trf would look correct and although they were popular in the 20's rather than the teens a trf would be much easier and cheaper to find than something made in 1918

[mornflt]

Thanks for the response. By the way there is a hidden drawer just below the doors.

[OldRestorer]

Oh boy that makes me sick. What a beautiful cabinet and then someone puts a TV in it...

such a great cabinet would have had a beautiful face for the radio. I doubt is will ever look as it did but if you can create even a flat walnut veneer face it will look great again.

No pictures of it in the past?

Kirk

[Arran]

I would get rid of the 80's vintage TV in it for a start, and have a look on the inside for what may have been fitted in there such as mounting blocks or screw holes. Yes, see if you can find any photos of it with the radio inside with the doors open, that will help narrow it down if you want an exact match for what went in there.
I can safely say that it was unlikely that a commercially produced radio ever left the factory in that cabinet, it was custom built. The cabinet may have been made in 1918, though I'm not sure what they would have used it for prior to a radio cabinet, but commercially produced radios were not generally available until 1921-22, and most of those were small sets with three tubes at the most. Big black dials may indicate that it had a TRF radio fitted into it, that would put it in the 1923-26 era, from 1927 onward that they went to single dials and many to peak hole dials. It was quit common for TRF sets of the mid 1920s to have two or more safe style knobs, Atwater Kent and FADA for example, though there were several dozen other makes that used that same layout not to mention home brew and kit sets.
Regards
Arran

[mornflt]

I'll be looking for pictures.. I remember seeing some.

[HOTWIRE]

WoW.

That is one awesome piece of period workmanship.
Obvious that whoever the furniture maker was looks like he knew his stuff. I guess he was trained in the 1800s eh.
Any chance of some close ups all round.
a peek in that secret drawer would be nice too.

[mornflt]

Thanks. Here are a few more pictures of the radio cabinet

[Warren]

Beautiful carvings...

[tab10672]

With a hidden drawer, I wonder if it started out as a writing desk. Old secretaries with pull out writing tables would have secret/hidden compartments like that. Maybe it was gutted and used as a radio cabinet later? Are there any signs of shelves/compartments toward the top of the inside like light wood lines or dow pin holes?

[Art Hoch]

Wow!  Ain't dat sumpin?!

[sam]

sorry just too spooky looking