[roseye]

Hello,

I'm writing a novel which is, in part, about a retiring opera reviewer (in his mid-60s) who is in his Toronto home, listening to a 2006 CBC radio broadcast of Wagner's ring cycle. He's got a tivoli in his kitchen, and a big listening room in his basement (wouldn't we all just love that?), but I wanted him to have a third, vintage radio (+/- turntable) in his home office, proper. I like the look of the philco consoles from the 40s, and that there are canadian models to choose from makes it all the more ideal. So, I am looking for some suggestions as to what kind of vintage Canadian Philco console that this fellow might own, it's basic features, and, if possible, some links to some pictures...

Really, I just have two questions:

1) Would a vintage philco console play FM radio?
Aside from my question about which model to choose (below), I'd like to know whether or not a vintage console would serve as mere decoration or if it could actually play the FM stations he's listenign to. Would anyone with a lovely old console, say from the 30s or 40s, be able to tap into an FM radio station today - from 90 to 99.9FM? Sorry to bother you with my novice question, here, but at what point in time did FM become an option on a console or other radio made by Philco in Canada? Ie. Without any workarounds/modifications, what age and vintage of console radio would one need to be able to pick up a CBC Toronto radio broadcast? And do people who treasure console radios that, say, pre-date FM actually make modifications to make them "current"/playable now if they aren't already?

2) More importantly, what vintage philco canadian console model from the 30's/40s would be properly "drool-worthy" for a collector to read about in a novel/come across in someone's house?
Even If I can't have my guy end up listening to the FM radio broadcast of the opera on his vintage console, (he can always have it pumped in from the mothership downstairs!) what Canadian model of Philco console might I choose (a pic would be great) that he could have inherited from his parents (who would have purchased it post-wwII) or, his grandparents (who would have purchased it pre wwII.)? IE what would be a fantastic Canadian Philco Console model / something of a collector's piece for a music-minded guy in his 60s-70s to keep in his Toronto home? Let's just say money wouldn't have been scarce, but not dripping from grandad's pockets, either?? Any suggestions of a Philco model/pics that people who really know their radio stuff would go gaga over if it ended up in a novel?

Thanks for any and all responses!
Rose