Radios from the 1930s and 1940s
The 1930s were a golden age of radio. It had by now become common in American family homes -- indeed, in homes around the world -- for families to gather each evening around the radio set to listen to exciting comedies, dramas and music. These old-time radio shows are even today collected by individuals who appreciate the heights to which "theater of the mind" can reach.The 1940s continued the golden age of radio but with an added importance: The radio had become the primary means by which people caught the latest news from the battlefields of World War II. After the war, despite the dawning of the television age, radio continued to play a part in daily life.
The radio sets of this era attained a beauty of design and quality that many consider unsurpassed. These were the days of "cathedral radios" and "tombstone sets" as well as large consoles, some of which contained shortwave bands as well as the standard AM dial, the better to hear news from distant world capitals. Many incorporated the popular art deco look of the time, making them objects to be admired for their aesthetics as well as something to be heard.
The sets of this era are among the most sought-after radios today. Fortunately, there is an ever-expanding market of restorers and estate-sale buyers to supply the desire to own one of these finely crafted instruments of entertainment and information.
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