[Chas]

I have a couple of comments about that RC.

One of which is the loading coil on the rear of the tuner section.

The loading coil was to enhance long wave reception for whatever it was required to receive signals in the long wave band. It may have been used early on and that the radio was a leftover from the early 20's when long wave was much more popular, of which would have been "some" broadcast but for time signals for setting clock, watch, etc.

The loading coil is rather rare. In fact FWIK (not much) it has a value equivalent to the entire radio. That is in watching past eBay bidding

The RC evolved, it originally was used with FWIK AP tubes, very rare, soon replaced with the 1 amp tubes v-201 and the v-200 detector.. A conversion was offered even later to use 201a 1/4 amp tubes.

I also agree, it would be a difficult radio for a "modern" person to operate, be subject to all the noises of any AM radio, but not impossible. Lay persons can often benefit from "re-naming" controls like "regenration" to "Amplification", etc.

With all the missing parts and wood work, I would suggest two avenues.

- Patch the cabinet, find the missing rheostat. install a FM radio.

- Find a similar RC with all the bits. Swap out all that is needed, likely replace the transformers too. A modern power supply and a RCA FH or UZ-1325 horn would do well. Sound rather tinny though, or the Radiola 100 cone, better sounding still RCA...

Instruct someone how to operate it. Using ux-201a tubes all around the radio would still make a reasonable daily driver. Do explain that it won't play like a modern receiver, but can squeak, squawk and howl as it did in the '20's and that it requires an antenna and ground as stated in the newspaper article.

-Suggest a commercial power supply such as the ARBE-III, an advantage is that the ARBE-III can be sent back for repair if need be.

Finance some of the repair from the sale of the loading coil and left over bits...

I have two RC's, one is from an original owner, has the usual 20's radio faults of tube island suspension problem and open (original) audio transformers. I will in time restore this one...
The other has passed through several collectors hands and has replacement audio transformers. The cabinet does look overworked and is not as crisp as the other RC.

I can move on the shop worn RC if your interested. Before I do I have to be sure that there is nothing needed between the two RC's that I could not be replace at a later date. I would be interested in the loading coil...

Because RC's went through many iterations, possibly some compromises may have to be made to bring your Hardware Store radio together. What I am saying it may not be reasonably possible to restore it to be a museum piece because of such changes as Bakelite dials vs blackened brass dials, etc.

The 201a vacuum tube was the daily driver of those years, there is still many, many around and can be commonly found for anywhere from $5 to $20. They can be rejuvenated to greatly extend their life...

You can PM me if your interested in this RC...

Um, I do agree the early "Switchboard style" radios are not very appealing, but I like them for just that reason, the "Laboratory Look"

Regard,

Chas