[Jayce]

There was surprising little to find in Marietta, Oh radio-wise in the antique shops and the flea market. Mostly postwar table radios, but I did find two hidden jewels. The first is a nice little Airline table radio. One of the bakelite models you find as a replica or an overpriced original. This one surprised me as it was priced cheap and it wasn't a replica! The second radio I almost missed because it blended in with the wall it was up against. A Serenader cathedral radio. Missing the tubes and the knobs, but the price was right and the cabinet is solid in spite of its looks. A little four tube unit that I guess as made in Canada.

   

   

   

[morzh]

If the price is right, the price is right.

Our national saying goes as ""Free vinegar tastes sweet!"



Congrats! Now you have something to busy yourself with!

[Jayce]

I was a little shocked at the lack of old radios in the stores around Marietta. Also, not a single Victrola or wind-up, which you usually see at least one of per antique shop around here.

[TA Forbes]

Remember that what you have is a "snapshot" of that area's pickings that is valid for that weekend only.

You must continue to visit this area and other areas as often as possible. Hand out your phone number to the shops. Even if only one percent of them result in a "find," it is one percent more than you would have if you did not do this.

[Arran]

I don't recall seeing a replica of that Airline, usually the one you see is a replica of one of those bullet shaped Belmonts with a crescent shaped dial opening. The reason being is that one was featured in the Phillip Collins book "Radios the Golden Age" back in the 80s, the replicas often have a cassette player slot in the side and a plaque on the front that says either Thomas or Crosley.
In any event there was a craze on these for a while, the bullet shaped Belmont much more so then the Airlines, at least until the supply outstripped the demand, unlike most Catalin models Bakelite sets were produced in much greater quantities. At one point they were hitting $200-300, which of course flushed more of them out of the woodwork, and being Bakelite AC/DC sets there were many more in the woodwork. Add to that all of the ones that were cracked, chipped, filled, and repainted, and the supply was increased even more.
I don't know about that particular Airline but some of them of a six tube chassis with an extra RF stage, so they should be pretty decent performers. So it may earn it's keep by being a decent radio and not just a pretty face.
I can't comment on the specifics of the Serenader model, most Serenader sets were made by Grimes-Phonola later Dominion Electrohome and were sold by "The Robert Simpson Company" stores or through their catalog. What I find strange is that this set does not seem to have a brass plaque on the back of the chassis nor an Ontario Hydroelectric Power Commission approval decal. So this set may be Canadian or it may be one of of the many generic table radios produced by one of the American independents. If you could show a closeup of the dial escutcheon that would help.
Regards
Arran