VOLUME 21               JULY 2004                NUMBER  7

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

From Antique Radio Classified for July 2004
(Copyright 1996-2004 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

The past month has been a good one -- a prolonged 20th anniversary celebration in which we've received several congratulatory notes from you readers. You enjoyed the recap of A.R.C. history and wished us well for another decade or two. So, your good wishes have sent us well on our way into this first month of our 21st year.

Looking ahead, we find ourselves wondering what radio-related collectibles will slip into the pages of A.R.C. in the future. Will it be vintage iPods and MP3 players? Believe it or not, we've just received an article on the latter. The possibilities are limitless.

Olin Shuler's lead article suggests some of the possibilities that those of us who came into this hobby 30 or 40 years ago might have overlooked as serious collectibles; for example, the 1950s products of the Motorola Company. Though Olin's article focuses on his career with Motorola, the brochure he sent pictures color television, 2-way radios, a hi-fi sound system, and more. Yesterday's new products have become today's collectibles, and so it will no doubt go into the future.

His article also represents the "one-article-leads-to-another syndrome" that enriches A.R.C. Jerry Wieland's February 2004 article on the Motorola 53LC3C clock radio triggered Olin's many memories of a company's growth in the second half of the 20th century.

But it's back to the 1930s with Ray Bintliff's article on the restoration of a Coast Guard transmitter. This was certainly a first-rate basket case, and we commend Ray for his persistence. Such TLC lavished on a military set seems not to be as common as it is on home radio receivers, the subject of more frequent articles. Ray's work illustrates how important collaboration can be in the absence of solid documentation, as his source of information was an unmodified set on loan from the late Andy DuBois.

Collaboration and feedback are central themes in A.R.C. articles. Witness the "Oops" letters in Radio Miscellanea showing that you readers are paying close attention to what is said in the magazine. We rely on authors for accuracy and on our editors for picking up on inaccuracies, but on occasion, things fall through the cracks. Needless to say, we welcome your corrections. And we're comforted by being in good company -- in a recent issue, the New York Times published over a dozen corrections to errors in that august publication.

Speaking of responses to the magazine, we were deluged with phone calls this month when the June issue showed up in your mailboxes later than usual. Though it had been mailed only one day later than usual, the Memorial Day holiday delayed its arrival even further into June. Sorry about that, but we are glad that you look forward to receiving each issue.

Photo Review has three sets in the crystal/battery set categories and three 1950s table models. Even the ephemera is represented by a menu with a Marconi signature.

Such a range of items and more is the hope of everyone who attends a regional meet like that of the New England Antique Radio Club in Nashua, New Hampshire, this past spring. This is a nearby affair for A.R.C. and easy to cover, but we also welcome reports from other regions. From reports by Ray Bintliff and John Hagman, we get a sense of the revitalization of this event, which was a sellout. Marty and Sue Bunis, who actually started this event years ago, have taken over the helm again, and their increased promotional efforts have paid off. Hats off to them and to the other behind-the-scenes workers who have created an event that appeals to both buyers and sellers.

Success has become a given for Estes Auctions. As reporters Ray and Edith Chase describe it, the Hanselman estate auction was a "barn burner." Battery and early wireless collectors saw an unusual number of the names they would "die for" -- Marconi, Chambers, Chicago Radio Labs, DeForest, Grebe, Mignon -- all were there. Also in evidence were over 100 magazine, book, and advertising lots, as well as over 100 vacuum tube lots. More than 40 items exceeded $1,000, and the total was $232,000.

A.R.C. Benefits. Be sure to take advantage of A.R.C. benefits: a toll-free number (866) 371-0512; the Web: www.antiqueradio.com; Discover, Visa, American Express, and MasterCard accepted; books shipped free in the U. S. by book rate; and to current subscribers, a ten percent discount on all book orders.

Coming Radio Events. Multiday events listed are Michigan's annual Extravaganza in Lansing and the American Museum of Radio and Electricity's Radio Equipment Flea Market in Bellingham, Washington. Other events include 12 meets, 26 meetings and one Estes auction. Be sure to get to at least one nearby event -- you'll be glad you did.

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

ON THE COVER

Our cover illustration is from a 1953 Motorola brochure contributed by Olin Shuler, author of our lead article. Entitled "Here's Why Your New Motorola Leads the Field for Quality Performance, Dependability, Styling," the 16-page, 6 ¹/2" x 4 ¹/2" publication extols the company's wide-ranging electronic products. The list is long and includes the "Big Look" color TV pictured.