Wood Radios
For a short while, I got pretty involved into old wood radios. I loved the radio repair and also the refinishing necessary to bring them back to the time when families spent their evenings around the radio. They are beautiful when fully restored . . . but they take up a WHOLE lot of room.
This some of my collection favorites . . .
This is what is known as a "Chairside". Typically it was at the end of a couch or between chairs, as pictured here. This is a Zenith model made in the early forties and was generously donated by my very good friend, Cormac Thompson, W7JHS.
Here you have a "Tombstone" made by RCA (circa 1936 or 1937) sitting on a Zenith console from the early 1940's. Both front lengthwise corners are painted black. They originally had "fake" paper wood grain glued to them. The big downside to this method is that this paper wood grain gets scratched or peels off leaving the "scrap wood" underneath that it was glued to. It was FAR less expensive using this method than using high priced wood veneers.
If a person is REALLY motivated, this paper wood grain can be re-produced on today's inkjet printers. There are websites devoted to the making of any paper wood grain you desire, with samples to copy and "run with"..
