All Activity

Thank you for the nice reply and information! Ive read Michael Feldt's write up on Slagle. It follows Alan Douglas' account pretty closely. Here is a write up of research I have already done on the Continental Radio Corp, Fort Wayne, Indiana, which in January 1929 was a re-organization of Slagle Radio. Ive dug through issues of Radio Retailing for what information I can find. Oct 1928 Carl Boyd joined Slagle as sales director. At that point Lavern Slagle was president and Paul Romey vice president and general manager. (Radio Retailing October 1928 page 82) November 1928, Carl Boyd became President of Slagle while Lavern Slagle retired from the company. At reorganization announced in January, Carl remained president. (Radio Retailing November 1928 page 76 and January 1929 page 85) Of course, the stock market crashed causing chaos and by September 1930, Continental was reorganized again with Carl still in the President position and R. J. Beatty as Chairman of the Board, however this is the last mention I can find of Carl, Continental, or Star Raider which seemed to be what the company was working on renaming itself. (Radio Retailing October 1930 page 39) Now forward to Ross D Siragusa who was at that time the founder and in control of Transformer Corp of America (T.C.A.) which made Clarion radios. His company (T.C.A.) went into bankruptcy in 1934. There is a mention that the company's assets including the Clarion name were sold to Michael Tauber & Company in collaboration with Harry Wolper of LeWol Mfg. (Radio Retailing April 1934 page 21) From here on, there is NO mention of Ross Siragusa until February 1936 where it is announced that Ross has joined Continental to head the company. (Radio Retailing February 1936 page 40) I did find an ad in October 1935 of Radio Today magazine from Continental Radio Corp using the Admiral name and connection with Radio Products Corp. However NO mention of Ross anywhere until (you guessed it) February 1936. So, I have a couple questions. #1. What happened to Continental Radio Corp. between September 1930 and October 1935? Did it exist at all during this period? #2. What exactly IS Ross D Siragusa's connection to Continental/Admiral? According to the Siragusa foundation's bio of Ross, He founded it in 1934. It also states he sold the Clarion name for $400 after founding Continental Admiral. https://www.siragusa.org/about-us/our-founder/ things aren't lining up. I'm not sure what other publication might shed some light on things. I tried Radio News to no avail and a few other magazines on WRH.com were of no help. Nothing. If Ross is actually the founder of Continental Admiral in 1934, how may I find confirmation??? Radio Retailing, Radio Today and Radio News are not revealing anything beyond his joining the company in February 1936. -Steve

Midwest Music Expo——Sanfilippo Tour News—-special price for the tour is now $10 for APS members and $25 for non members. Sign up for your Sunday, August 2nd tour!

That's a good looking set, and appears to be a quality product. The company had an interesting history, lasting until 1979, when the company was sold to sold to Rockwell International Corporation. They are best remembered today for producing radios, phonographs and TVs under the Admiral brand. Here is some information I found on radiomuseum.org: "Admiral is the brand of Continental Radio & Television Corporation, 3800W. Cortland Street, Chicago, Illinois. Admiral Corporation at the same address is the marketing company for the maker. The story goes: "A group of four investors founded Continental Radio & Television Corporation in 1934 by literally selling their belongings to raise the initial capital. The company was a success right from the start. Concentration was on quality to an inexpensive prize. In 1939 Admiral ranked number 5 in sales volume by 1939." [Bunis]. Below we have a bit a different story - and there are early Admiral models ... Admiral was also successful when the movement of major sales outlets, such as Montgomery Ward and Sears, made their way into the radio sales in the end of the 30s. Continental Radio and Television Corp. made the Admiral, Globe Trotter, Radiomaster and Star Raider brands for them and some more. Admiral radios were also exported. A catalogue in France [602-39] even lists some French models (5D33X and 952 from the 50s) but they are made in the USA. In Switzerland "Thali" published schematics for the most imported models and Admiral is one of the listed brands from the USA. Because of quality problems and the growing competition from Japan the plants of the company had to be closed in 1979. The main losses resulted from TV sets. A more detailled story: Ross Siragusa founded the Admiral Corp. during the Depression and transformed it from a small radio and phonograph company into one of the leading makers of televisions, audio products and home appliances. In 1924, Siragusa had developed an earlier company, Transformer Corp. of America, which grew quickly by selling battery chargers for radios. But by 1929, the Depression caused Siragusa's company to go out of business. Undaunted, he turned to manufacturing radios. To get some start-up cash, Siragusa sold his automobile and home furnishings, and in 1934, created a new company, the Continental Radio and Television Corp., which is known most for its brand Admiral. Growth exploded with the arrival of contracts for military electronics during World War II; afterward, Siragusa steered Admiral into television. A pioneering TV brand, it became one of the top three in sales and was one of the first to produce color sets. In 1951, Admiral sold five million television sets, but then came a downturn. Disputes simmered over the regulatory framework for color television, and a new excise tax left manufacturers with huge inventories. By discounting its television sets and increasing its promotion of home appliances, Admiral survived for a while. But during an industry shakeout, with profits falling, the company was sold to Rockwell International Corp., which later pulled it out of the TV business." There is a nice article on Continental including a catalog showing the RP-40 here: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Old-Radio-Groups/Indiana-Historical/Indiana-Historical-Radio-Society-1997-Fall.pdf

Hello, Id like to introduce myself. Some of you probably already know who I am My name is Steve and Ive been collecting and restoring tube electronics for most of my life. Ive always had an interest in antique radios but I have to blame the late Doug Houston from Ortonville Michigan as well as Art Miller from Jackson Michigan for my interest in electric machines. I was a teenager when I first met them at the AWA Conference in Canandaigua NY in 1986. Since then Ive collected a fair number of interesting ones even though they seriously take up space and weigh a ton. This Continental Star-Raider RP-40 is the latest machine to come into my posession. Thanks to Carlton and Thomas. It is an interesting beast as it has been modified from the original circuit. Especially in the power supply/amplifier chassis. Originally it had a pair of 81 rectifiers and a pair of 50 output tubes. The 50s were actually specified to be Cardon 585s. also missing are two current regulators to automatically adjust to line voltage fluctuations. In their place, and marked accordingly is a 5Z3 rectifier and a pair of 45 output tubes. This is certainly a downgrade, but also makes tubing it up a bit easier. Looking at the power transformer, it looks to be a factory job. All voltages present appear to be correct for the tubes this particular set uses. The radio section still has the original seven Cardon 484 triodes. So this is quite a puzzle. The 5Z3 did not become available until 1933 along with the 2A3 output triodes, so why didn't they design this particular chassis to take 2A3s instead? Also, what was left of Continental Radio Corp in 1933? I cannot seem to find evidence they went under, nor any activity until Continental Radio and Television in 1935 which used the name Admiral and was located in Chicago, not Fort Wayne Indiana. Seriously a puzzle. The possibility does exist this was modified by a radio shop, but I would expect an aftermarket power transformer under the cover such as from Stancor. The tube labels and hole covers are so well done as is the wiring underneath. It does not look like a hack job, but very professionally done. Anyhow, here are photos of this beautiful machine and I hope to someday soon get to restoring it to operation. But first I seriously need to get a Stromberg Carlson 744 off the bench and out of the way. Now THAT is a seriously HEAVY machine! Also a Capehart 406D is in the queue and that must be tackled soon 😄 -Steve

The cabinet is SOLD!!

I have available an oak Salter record cabinet. $1200 Free delivery to the Midwest Music Expo coming up at the end of the month. I will only bring it if it is prepaid before the show. It needs the record shelves. I have seen this with individual record shelves and also with vertical record storage shelves. The top has two small dowel plugs. Contact me with any questions. The first two pictures show the two different record shelving I have seen.

After lots of research on suppliers, specifications, and graphics, I am in possession of very nice reproduction (new) cylinder boxes. A limited number will be available at the upcoming APS Expo in Chicago August 1st. Assembly is somewhat tedious, so I'll have less than 1,000 available. I am still working on graphics options. Specifications and prices are listed below for boxes delivered to the Expo. Specifications: Tube ID: 2.250" Tube Height: 4.500“ Tube Inside Depth: 4.250” Tube Wall: 0.050“ Bottom: 0.320” deep Bottom: 2.250" OD Top: 0.500" deep Top: 2.350" ID Color: Kraft Paper (Light Brown) Prices: Assembled boxes with ends and lids, UNlabeled Quantity: 12 @ $2.00each, $24.00 Quantity: 48 @ $1.75each, $84.00 Note: cylinder box labels and lid labels are being developed. Please enquire about graphic options. A limited number of boxes will be available at the upcoming APS Midwest Expo in Chicago August 01 Ping me with any questions! Terry Baer email: Terry@AntiquePhono.org

For those interested the Victor March music was used on another earlier record from 1929 that was a Radio Tone Demonstration record. It is along the same lines, but not for 33 1/3 records. I made this video in 2020.

Now $275 or offer!

What appears to be leather is most likely just accumulated "gunk" or built up belt dressing, (applied to increase belt grip). As George suggests, there should be a set screw, and it possibly is hidden by the "gunk." The screw hole may at first just appear to be a hole. The screw will be down, inside of the hole, not always completely visible.

There should be a set screw between the flanges of the pulley. It may well be hidden beneath the leather (?) which was later applied to it. George P>

Hello, I'm in need of advice on how to remove the drive belt pulley on my Amerola DX because the shaft is slightly bent. I believe this model has the Fireside motor. I don't see any type of set screws or obvious way of removal. Can anyone advise me on the procedure(s) to do this without damage to my machine? Also, one more question. The Drive belt pulley has what appears to be remnants of leather (leather-like) material all the way around it. it's deteriorated and peeling off in places, so when I scrape some off, it exposes the pulley metal underneath that has ridges. I didn't expect to see this. Any advice here would be most appreciated. Thank you in advance. Wayne

Wonderful photographs and information!

I recently found the album that was provided to customers when they bought one of the new machines that could play both 78 and 33 1/3 rpm records in 1931. I also found a really terrific record that would have been in the album. I hope you enjoy this. It was fun for me to find these items and to make the video.

Amazing!!!!

Many years ago I had an AS Graphophone which had a metal Spear dealer tag. I'm sorry I let that one go.

Beautiful. Surprisingly good sound! Not quite as spectacular as the reviews printed in the brochure, however. 🙂 Thanks for posting!!

Not only an attractive machine, but an interesting story! George P.

I was hoping you'd post those, Rod. Very nice grouping! George P.

That's an attractive piece.

MODEL: HMV 461 Table grand SERIAL #: none visible YEARS MADE: made 1926 - 1929 COST: Oak 27 £, mahogany 31 £ CASE/CABINET SIZE : 17.375 x 11 x 22.375 inch / 441 x 279 x 568 mm TURNTABLE: 12" turntable REPRODUCER: No. 4 MOTOR: Double 11" spring motor HORN DIMENSIONS: --- REPRODUCTION PARTS: none CURRENT VALUE: 200 - 400 euros INTERESTING FACTS: The 461 is basically the 460 Lumiere reconstructed. When the 460 failed on the market (more than half of the 867 machines that were sold in oak were returned to the factory) His Masters Voice suddenly had quite a few cabinets on their hands that would never be sold – I´ve never heard of a another commercial gramophone failure like the 460, returned to the factory and accepted as a return, I wonder if were they offered the 461 instead or did they just reimburse them? I´d love to hear the whole story of how it happened, also who designed the 461 (and the 460) and so on, but I don´t know if there are any files or the like in the UK that could tell the story? Maybe UK friends can chip in... Anyway according to His Masters Gramophone by Brian Oakley and Christopher Proudfoot, 461 sales were 615 in oak and 618 in mahogany and it was made between 1926 - 1929. My machine I found in 2005 through an ad – it had belonged to the uncle of the woman who sold it to me and he had used it to play his records until he passed. It hardly needed any work – I greased and oiled the motor, also changed the rubber gaskets of the nr. 4 sound box, that´s about it... I was lucky to find the right kind of gaskets! All of the 461 machines that I´ve seen (just a couple) have the oil/greasing instructions hidden by the new internal horn, as well as the cup for used needles in the place where the Lumiere diaphragm conveniently would have have dropped them – which in my mind indicates that they made the 461 as long as there were surplus cabinets from the 460. Anyway – the 461 is an excellent machine for electrical recordings with nicely balanced sound and its easy to use. The only thing that it lacks in my opinion is great tracking (like most HMV machines of the era?) – but as long as you use fiber needles, that doesn´t really matter much. Here´s a video showing how it performs with different kinds of recordings/needles: (The pictures of the catalogue are from the audiomuzeum.hu) HMV 461_1.mp4 2.mp4

Columbia Eagle w decal from Spear & Co., General Agents, Indianapolis, along with cylinder box and reproduction booklet. Building photo courtesy of George.

Thanks Rene. I don't have any pairings of DISC machines and records. That's not intentional; just the luck of the draw. I hope someone will contribute additional items. George P.

Those are terrific. I'm a nut for dealer tags and labels. I'm afraid I have nothing to add. The only pairings I have duplicate yours -- Bacigalupi and Eastern Talking Machine. I have a Cleveland Graphophone dealer tag on an AN but I'd never seen one of their boxes until your picture.

Here it is...