[RadioSvit]

I made a new video on an interesting topic and thought it could be discussed on the forum.
Which model radio of which manufacturer and from which country do you consider the most beautiful? Were you lucky enough to restore it? If this is an interesting topic for you, please share your thoughts.
And for now, I suggest you watch this video and answer whether you like the design of this radio bar

"The most beautiful radios in the world. Part 1. Radiomarelli radio bar. Italy"
[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ENfd7bs2Qw&t=8s]

[MrFixr55]

Hi Peter,

It IS interesting and pretty. Surprised that this is post war if it was not Italian. Other European and many American sets were more "square" or "rectangular". I tend to be drawn to art deco myself, but this is a beautiful set.

[RadioSvit]

Yes, I agree with you - the vast majority of radios have more rectangular shapes and even the French Art Deco design is not very rounded. I noticed that only the Italians and Austrians adore such a strongly rounded design. Here is one of the representatives of French Art Deco - a Ravex radio console, which I converted into a radio bar.

   
   
   
   

[radiorich]

Hello Peter,
That was a great video, and I love that set. I agree with you that American sets were more “square” or “rectangular.” One of my fanciest-looking cabinets is my Georgian-style 1930s General Motors model 160—it’s a beast. What’s stopped me from finishing it is that the speaker needs to be reconed.

Sincerely Richard
P.S. the Philco Bar radio has a nice cabinet too.

[RadioSvit]

Thank you, Richard. I have a more favorable opinion of the design of American radios than you do. In my opinion, among such radio manufacturers as E.H. Scott, AK, Philco, Zenith, RCA, Stromberg Karlson or Silverton there are more masterpieces of design than in the whole of Europe.

[morzh]

European (French, Italian, Dutch) radios were indeed a bit (ok, a bit more than just "a bit") more elegant than the American radios were.
Which does not make me like them any better. French Excelsior, for instance, was the epitom of elegance, but the materials used did not help it sound very well.
Then again, my taste is quite simplistic: I choose my furniture by the quality of build and the materials vs sheer elegance; so my interior at home is a bit boxy and heavy-set.

[SRv2]

Silvertone and Stewart-Warner had some fun designs. Attached are two from my collection that are a couple of my favorites. 
       

This is a great conversation, fun to see other radios, thank you.

[radiorich]

Hello George,
Yes, I really like the Stewart-Warner I have; it has a beautiful dial design.

Peter, there are some great-looking E.H. Scott radios, and Zenith made some nice designs and all-around good performers. Even Crosley had some attractive designs.

Sincerely Richard

[Arran]

I think that it really depends on the make, model, and year, I happen to like the 1935-38 Stromberg Carlson cabinet designs, though I do like the earlier ones as well.
Regards
Arran

[RadioSvit]

Michael, European radios up to 1933...35 are very difficult to compare with American radios of the same period because of their technological backwardness. It is better not to mention Soviet radios of this period at all, the technological backwardness was 10...15 years and only the most primitive detector (!) radios and regenerators on one...four radio tubes were produced. But since 1934, Europe began to catch up with the United States in the development and production of superheterodynes and despite the small number of valves, the culture of chassis assembly at such companies as Philips, Telefunken, Lorenz or Saba was absolutely not inferior to such technological monsters as Philco, E.H. Scott RSA or Zenith. The only difference is a much smaller number of valves. Perhaps that is why more attention was paid to design, but in my opinion it was quite monotonous. American manufacturers have much more creativity

[RadioSvit]

Hello again everyone.
George, your radios are very beautiful. I especially like the one in the top photo. What model of Silverton is it?

Richard, I agree with you. I really like the radio consoles of these manufacturers. In general, I love radio consoles and I love them more than a desktop radio. Now I have this De Forest Crosley 6D632. Very nice design.

Arran, I completely agree with you. I love American radio consoles from 1928...1938 and 1946...50. And I also really like Stromberg Carlson. Unfortunately, they are always very heavy, because they are made of high quality and therefore I cannot buy any console of this brand and deliver them to Ukraine because of their great weight.

   

[morzh]

In 1933-1935 the USSR had no superhets in the first place. So, no, we won't metnion it.
RCA140 was stolen in 1935 and went into production in 1936.

[radiorich]

hello Peter,
Yes, Stromberg Carlson had some really heavy sets !!
Mike "I Hear nothing and I see nothing "
" Sgt. Schultz" one of my Favorite !
Sincerely Richard

[morzh]

It is funny how both German characters, Schulz and Klink, were performed by Jewish actors, both born in Germany/Austria.
Also that French guy. He actually survived Buchenwald death camp.

[MrFixr55]

One of my customers was Jewish; a very remarkable lady, the manager of a hospital lab in NYC. Her husband managed a lab in a different hospital system. Born in 1934 in Hungary, survived the Holocaust, moved to Israel, married an Iraqi Jew, had 2 kids, collected 2 PhDs in Biochemistry and another related field. Was a research scientist for a competitor and developed several immunochemistry assays. Would totally grill me on my service calls, how I knew that the analyzer was functioning correctly the theory behind how I troubleshot the issue and verified the repair, sometimes messing with my head for fun, and often over some really great corned beef courtesy of her. I learned so much from her, and we respected each other greatly! A very strong personality, the polar opposite of her husband.

She told me that she saw "The Producers" on Broadway and really enjoyed it. I asked her how a comedy based on a comedy about Hitler would have been funny because, IMHO, mass murder is the biggest crime I can think of especially mass murder based or race, nationality, religion, etc. However, Dr L*** told me that comedy and satire is how Jews delt with the injustices delt them over their history. So now it makes sense, as the Schultz and Klink characters were total idiots. I understand now. Maybe for these actors and especially for the character in Hogan's Heroes who was a concentration camp survivor, the show was therapy.