[Arran]

There was a battery model in the Walton style cabinet, somebody on the other forum found one for a good price, substantially less then an equivalent AC model. I think that when the Waltons TV show began the setting was rural Virginia in 1934 or 35, so a 1938 model anything was definitely an anachronism. That being said I don't share the admiration for shutter dial brand Z sets that "The Crowd" seems to, while the mechanism is somewhat appealing it's still a face painted tin dial like dozens of cheap sets have.
I don't really find the motor mechanism that much of a draw either, other manufacturers had motorized tuning setups that had actual presets on them and would reverse as needed depending on what preset was pushed. Brand Z used a switch activated by a spring loaded switch connected to the tuning knob, you pressed the knob until you reached the station you wanted. When it got to the end of dial travel you had to push a lever to reverse the mechanism.
I think a lot of the appeal has to do with the fact that brand Z was the last one standing among U.S consumer electronics manufacturers, most of the other makes like Philco and RCA became orphans decades earlier.
Regards
Arran