News 'N' Views

Radios may be obtained from various sources. Antique shops, although not often as they are usually too expensive, second-hand shops, rather more often than antique shops, private individuals from ads in papers etc, garage sales at homes, and specific radio garage sales.

There is one radio garage sale in particular, which is normally held once a year. There are often some very good bargains there. This year's one, the first we have been to, was held over a weekend with a 9:30 start. We arrived at 9:00am, along with a number of others. We were let in right away.

There was a sign up in front of a whole lot of radios and bits and pieces that said "SPEND $10 AND TAKE ANY OF THIS STUFF FOR FREE!"   "Oh boy"  says 13 year old Junior. "I'm gonna get a lot of that stuff!"  So, of course, he did! In the end, on that Saturday, he got 16 radios, about (at a guess) 2000 valves, various other parts and pieces, and an extension speaker.  He paid a total of $10!!

After that much success, he wanted to go back and see what was still there on Sunday! So dutifully, his old man takes him back.  Today he found another 19 radios, a CD player with a 220-115volt drop-down transformer, a heap of power cords with plugs and some more parts. Three of the radios were transistorised mantle types. Today costs him $25! So the whole weekend cost him a total of $35.00. One could almost call it daylight robbery.

On Monday, after having checked out the transistor radios, and made sure they were going, I sold them to a second-hand shop for $50. So he made a profit on the whole weekend, and still has all the other gear that we can restore. We haven't tried all the radios yet, but it looks as if about half of them will actually be working, as received. They will still need some checking over etc, of course.  Although some only needed a bit of a dusting!

At the Garage Sale

Two views of the garage sale. By this time a lot of the stuff was gone, but there was still a lot outside as well.

At the Garage Sale

Box of over 2000 valves!

A large, long box, which would appear to have something over 2000 valves in it!

Saturday's Haul!

The proceeds of the Saturday "Robbery" !!  Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the Sunday gear. 

The spoils of the day.

Just recently there have been a couple of events happening. Both on the same weekend and both approx 150 kilometres away. The first of two sales was in Hamilton. Leah was selling what she could of over 200 of her late husband's radios as she is moving to a smaller house. During the day before the sale, I was repeatedly nagged by Junior as he wanted to go down and buy some radios. Eventually I gave in. After finding the house and getting inside the double garage we discovered that the garage along with a room off to the right were full of radios.

Junior immediately shot off in the direction of the room off the garage. After at least two hours he finally decided on what he wanted. We ended up with the following:

Murphy 157 Bakelite with no valves and no power cord.

Ultimate FU Console. Push Pull output, 8 inch speaker, working.

Philips 426A34 Bakelite. The interesting thing about this one is the fact that it actually has 3 separate sections of chassis inside it. The valves are also the kind with side contacts instead of the usual pins. This one is also working. From 1937.

Unbranded (this radio doesn't have an actual name on it so it may have been a one off) It was made by Larsen Radio in 1935. It has a broken grid cap off one of the valves but should work. It also has an interesting crystal like dial that lights up well.

There were many more radios we would have liked but without money, well, you know.....Today costs him $150. After this Junior found out that Kevin was having a get together in Waihi the next day and was also selling and giving away some of his spare parts. More begging on Juniors part. That day we bought the following:

Atomic 758 Console. Excellent condition, 5 band, 12 inch speaker. Works very well indeed. Unfortunately the dial glass is broken but complete. A remedy may have been thought of.

Columbus 75 cabinet to replace a broken one we presently have.

Courier BFR battery portable tombstone. Sadly there is a chance this set won't ever run but it will serve as an excellent display piece.

Ultimate mantle set. Model unknown. Presently smoke arises from underneath one of the valves.

Gulbransen 5151 white bakelite. No knobs, going. Tastefully decorated with flowers by someone! Shades of San Francisco!

Sheffield B54 Brown bakelite. Working, non original speaker, needs minor work.

Pacific 528. Wooden mantle set. Working but needs chassis work. Shortwave.

Altogether this entire day cost Junior a total of $25. Pretty cheap. Right place at the right time.

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