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PHILCO PHORUM

Philcoradio.com < Gallery Index

Philco for 1932 (introduced June 1932)

MODEL 4 SHORTWAVE CONVERTER REMAINED IN THE PHILCO LINEUP. ALL OTHER JUNE 1931/FALL 1931/JANUARY 1932 PHILCO MODELS WERE DISCONTINUED.

Click on a thumbnail to see a larger photo below:

Philco began the new 1932 season with their largest lineup of new models to date. There were now 32 all-new Philco radios to choose from, along with the Model 4 shortwave converter left over from January 1932.

Unfortunately, this was the wrong time for Philco to be so ambitious. 1932 was the worst year of the Depression, so many sets in the new Philco line sold poorly.

Most of the new Philco line used 6.3 volt filament tubes, the same tubes that had been developed for auto radios. The rest of the radio industry would eventually adopt the 6.3 volt standard.

MODEL 15X
Philco's 1932 flagship model used 11 tubes and featured a lighted grille area when the set was on. This was the last set to use the large, heavy chassis pan that had been developed in 1928 for the 511 Series line. It used two speakers and covered the AM band only.

Original selling price: $150
Number made: 13,400

MODEL 15DX
Photo courtesy Spencer Doggett

This '15' featured two tambour doors at top, which could be pulled shut to conceal the dial and controls. It also uses twin speakers.

Original selling price: $250
Number made: 1,500

MODEL 22L
Philco tried to expand its radio-phonograph line for 1932. However, the time was wrong for this, as this was the worst year of the Depression, and all of Philco's radio-phonograph models sold poorly. This particular model used a Model 71 chassis.

Original selling price: $129.50
Number made: 3,100

MODEL 23X
Photo Furnished and used by permission

Philco's top of the line radio-phonograph for 1932 used a Model 91 chassis. One may be seen in the 1932 movie The Big Broadcast.

Original selling price: $195
Number made: 1,461

MODEL 24L
Model 224 (export version of Model 24) shown; Model 24L is believed to have been identical in appearance.
Photo courtesy David Giannetti

This radio-phonograph console used a Model 52 chassis.

Original selling price & number made: Not available

MODEL 25L
And this radio-phonograph console used the Model 43 chassis.

Original selling price & number made: Not available

MODEL 36B
The 1932 version of the Baby Grand cabinet was designed by Clyde Shuler, and this basic style was used for several different Philco models over the next year and a half. This particular model is the successor to the Model 35 farm set, and in fact the two chassis are identical - there was no change, electrically, from Model 35 to Model 36.

Original selling price: $59.50
Number made: 44,700 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Models 47B & 71B)

MODEL 36L
The battery-operated Philco Lowboy for 1932. It sold very poorly.

Original selling price: $69.95
Number made: 200

MODEL 36D
An attractive highboy with double doors.

Original selling price: $85
Number made: 9,500 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Model 47D, 71D & 91D models)

MODEL 43B
Photo courtesy Ed Locker

Philco's first all-in-one "all-wave" receiver, which uses 8 tubes and covers frequencies from the AM band to 20 mc in four bands.

Original selling price: $59.50
Number made: Not available

MODEL 43H
Model 47H shown above. Model 43H was similar except for the escutcheon and knob layout.

The highboy version of Model 43.

Original selling price: $79.95
Number made: 2,500

MODEL 43X
A very large console with twin speakers and "All-Wave" coverage. The cabinet is otherwise identical to Model 91X.

Original selling price: $100
Number made: 950

MODEL 47B
Photo courtesy George Guma

This is the Baby Grand version of Philco's 1932 DC-only receiver.

Original selling price: $59.50
Number made: 44,700 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Models 36B & 71B)

MODEL 47H
The DC-operated Highboy for 1932.

Original selling price: $79.50
Number made: 23,100 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Model 71H)

MODEL 47D
Model 47D cabinet is identical to Model 36D cabinet.

The 110 volt DC version of the 1932 Philco highboy with double doors.

Original selling price: $89.50
Number made: 9,500 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Models 36D, 71D & 91D)

MODEL 47X
An Inclined Sounding Board Philco made to operate on direct current only.

Original selling price: $100
Number made: 225

MODEL 52B
The successor to Philco's Model 51, the 52 uses the same chassis as Model 51. Five tubes, superheterodyne, AM only.

Original selling price: $36.50
Number made: 28,420 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Fall 1932 Model 48B)

MODEL 52C
Photo courtesy Greg Armstrong

This model featured the 52 chassis in a compact table model cabinet, a harbinger of things to come. For the time being, however, Baby Grand models were still more popular than compact table models.

Original selling price: $39.50
Number made: 6,200 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Fall 1932 Model 48C)

MODEL 52L
MODEL 52L

The lowboy (console) version of Model 52.

Original selling price: $89.17
Number made: 13,196 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Fall 1932 Models 37L & 48L)

MODEL 52 COLONIAL CLOCK
Model 551 shown; Model 52 Colonial Clock is identical.
Photo courtesy Barry Johnson

A table or mantle clock with a Model 52 chassis. A compact, yet very attractive set.

Original selling price: $60
Number made: 8,000 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Fall 1931 Model 551 Colonial Clock as well as Fall 1932 Model 80 Colonial Clock)

MODEL 52 GRANDFATHER CLOCK
   Philco apparently used up Model 570 grandfather clock cabinets by installing some Model 52 chassis in these, adding a new front panel drilled to accept the 52 control shafts.

Original selling price: Not available
Number made: 8,000 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Fall 1931 Model 570 Grandfather Clock as well as June 1932 Model 71 Grandfather Clock)

MODEL 71B
Photo courtesy Geoffrey Estabrooks

An update to Philco's popular Model 70, the 71 used Philco's new 6.3-volt High Efficiency tubes in essentially the same circuitry as the late version of Model 70, and housed in a brand-new cathedral cabinet designed by Clyde Shuler.

Later versions of the 71 used a shadowmeter and a different escutcheon.

Original selling price: $46.50
Number made: 44,700 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Models 36B & 47B)

MODEL 71L
Model 70 Highboy shown; Model 71L is identical in appearance except for the escutcheon.
Photo courtesy Ed Locker

The Model 71 lowboy was identical to the previous season's Model 70 highboy. Yes, the same cabinet which was previously referred to as a "highboy" was now being called a "lowboy," which is a more accurate description.

Original selling price: $59.50
Number made: 5,200

MODEL 71H
Photo courtesy Keith Park

This Philco Highboy features six legs and a stretcher base, and a seven-tube chassis that receives the AM band.

Original selling price: $69.50
Number made: 23,100 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Model 47H)

MODEL 71D
The seven-tube version of Philco's 1932 highboy with doors. It uses twin speakers; one faces forward while the other faces down towards the floor.

Original selling price: $79.95
Number made: 9,500 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Models 36D, 47D & 91D)

MODEL 71LZ
The 1932 version of the 370 Lazyboy, using a Model 71 chassis in place of the previous year's Model 70 chassis.

Original selling price: $69.50
Number made: 16,285 (NOTE: Figure includes production of June 1931 Model 370 Lazyboy)

MODEL 71 GRANDFATHER CLOCK
1931 Model 570 shown. Model 71 Grandfather Clock is identical except for the escutcheon.

The 1932 Grandfather Clock used a Model 71 chassis in place of the previous year's Model 70 chassis, but was identical in appearance.

Original selling price: $89.50
Number made: 8,000 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Fall 1931 Model 570 Grandfather Clock as well as June 1932 Model 52 Grandfather Clock)

MODEL 91B
Photo courtesy Nigel Featherston

Philco's largest Baby Grand for 1932 used 9 tubes and received the AM band. Like most of Philco's better receivers for this season, the 91 features a shadowmeter as a tuning aid.

Original selling price: $68.50
Number made: 23,450

MODEL 91L
The nine-tube 91 chassis in a lowboy cabinet.

Original selling price: $89.50
Number made: 15,000

MODEL 91H
Model 47H shown above. The Model 91H cabinet is identical except for the escutcheon.

This Philco Highboy includes the nine-tube 91 chassis.

Original selling price: $69.95
Number made: 14,346

MODEL 91D
A nine-tube 1932 Philco highboy with doors. A great-looking radio as well as a great performer.

Original selling price: $99.50
Number made: 9,500 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Models 36D, 47D & 71D)

MODEL 91X
Photo courtesy Terry Van Winkle

Another Inclined Sounding Board Philco with twin speakers, nine tubes, and covering the AM band with the aid of a shadowmeter.

Original selling price: $100
Number made: 14,675

© 1997-2010, Ron Ramirez. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.