Here is the FIRST New Zealand Radio Broadcast (November 17th, 1921) (466KB). This was by Professor Robert Jack from the Physics Dept of Otago University and was a test broadcast. For nearly a year, he broadcast 2 hourly "Gramophone Concerts" each Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

3/2001.  Some new radios have been added. A 1939 Columbus 65 dual wave, a 1936 Cromwell 640 dual wave, and a 1936/37 Ultimate BAU 5 valve.

3/2001. And since then I've also added another Gulbransen page, Pilot H664, Seafarer, Sheffield and a Columbus 84 restored, on the second Columbus page.

4/2001. Now there's also a fourth Columbus page, plus a new Philco Alarm Clock Radio and a new acquisition, a Zenith Console. It's going to need a whole lot of hard work, but will be well worth it.

5/2001. A number of pages now have thumbnails of advertisements.  Just click on the thumbnail to be taken to full size images.

5/2001. Some new information on the News page, about more sales.

6/2001. More radios added. Philco 722 5 valve. Courier BFR 5 valve, 1937. Atomic 6 valve Console, 1949. Larsen 5 valve from 1937. Philips 5 valve, with 3 section chassis, 1937. Gulbransen 5151 5 valve BC, 1949. And a Sheffield 5 valve bakelite.

7/2001. A new brand, Luxor, has been added.

This month, the gentleman who manufactured Larsen radios, has died. R.I.P Harold Larsen.

7/2001. Some new brands and some new radios of brands already there. A Companion Bullet, Ariel, Regent, Stella, Cromwell and Larsen have all been updated and /or have new pictures, or pics where there weren't any before. Another new brand, Decca, has been added

8/2001.     Photos of two different chassis used in Ultimate Cygnet.

8/2001.    Ultimate extension speakers added. Aerial model 175 added.

9/2001.    Rare Bell Colt in Solid Oak cabinet. Ultimate RAC Console with phonograph.

10/2001.  Courtenay radio added. Or, at least we think it's a Courtenay!

10/2001.  Cromwell 7AW Console added.

11/2001.  Ultimate RL Table Gram added.

1/2002.   Pye PZ60 10 band radio added.

4/2002.  Mitsubishi Linear Tracking Turntable added in Phonograph section.

6/2002.  Updated the Larsen page with more pictures and an email from a gentleman who used to work with Harold Larsen.

 This site has been set up mainly as a place I can keep a record of my own collections. But then, it struck me that a few other people may be interested in seeing some of the items, including before and after restoration photos of some old valve type radios. And that it may be of some assistance to others starting out. The site development, and the restorations, are both ongoing, and so I guess I will never be able to say, "I've finished!" Incidentally. our American cousins know valves as Tubes, or Vacuum Tubes.

There will also be other areas of interest coming as well, but at this stage, it's a lot of the Radios, the Jukebox, Phonographs and E-Mail. Quite a number of the radios here actually belong to my 15 year old son, who obviously also has a great interest in them.

Later there will also be links to Hi-Res, physically large pictures of many of the photos you will find on this site. Before leaving, please sign my Guestbook.

E-mail the link to this site to a friend!

Some of the radios we have can be seen in these photos. Currently there are over 250 in total.

Some of the radios have been moved to a different area of the house. This room will eventually hold all of them, I hope. In order from top left, they are Philips, Ultimate, extension speaker, Gulbransen, Neeco, Skyscraper, 2 Ultimate Cygnet, 2 Bell Colt, Murphy, Clipper, Blue and Green Colts, Philips, Gulbransen, Mullard speaker, Skymaster, Atomic, Philco, and a Grundig Reel to Reel tape recorder.

A different view after changing things around. Some from other rooms, and some from other parts of this room, after making some new shelves on the back wall.There are now more shelves on the right hand wall above the consoles, as well.

I have been asked to give some information about myself, so here goes. My name is Keith. I am a 57 year old male, married to the owner of the Loadstar's Lair Web-site, with three ankle-biters, 2 cats, one large Great Dane dog and a number of tropical fish! I own my own house, apart from the bit the bank thinks it owns. I have been collecting antiques, (and other collectibles), for many years.

I have also been interested in radio all my life, but it was not until slightly more recent times, that I have started collecting and restoring them. My ambition is to find a good Zenith All Wave Console radio, the same as the one we had when I was a kid. My 14 year old son is also very much a fanatic, and a lot of the radios belong to him. I am also a car nut and an aviation fanatic. I used to have my own aeroplane, a Piper Cherokee, till about 10 years ago. It took us all over New Zealand, and into some lovely isolated areas, including beaches and islands etc.

Here, I must thank our good friend Gerry Billman for all the help and advice he has given about the radio repair and restoration hobby, and for supplying some of the required spare parts. His help has been invaluable.