A friend of my wife's has this radio. She sent the photo to my wife, asking her if I might be interested in it.
It's a bit new for what I normally pick up, but I'm thinking about it because it has several tuning bands. But I can't identify it, it's sort of unsightly. ie; it has little appeal. I'm not planning to pay much for it.
Can anyone tell me what it is and what she might expect it to sell for if she put it on an online auction? I wan't to know before I tell her what I am willing to pay.
Mark D.

You may have to share the picture with us.

OOPS! Duh! Sorry, lots going on here. Always in a hurry.
Here it is;

This almost looks homemade.

My eyes are not too good but it looks like it has both FM bands. Early post war? Anyone out there recognize the dial? Interesting looking radio.

Jerry

I shrank the picture to use the forum photo hosting, but the original I have shows the bands, from top to bottom, as SW-1 SW-2 SW-3 SW-4 and in red at the bottom, AM.
The frequencies tuned are, respectively, - 1.7 - 4.6 MC, 4.6 - 9.0 MC, 9.1 - 10.3 MC, 11.4 - 18.0 MC, and of course 5.4 to 170 KC.
Now that it was mentioned, it does look home made. It looks like a cheap kit of some sort.
The original picture shows brass half circles near each knob that label the functions. They appear to be tacked on with brass tacks. Looks tacky. (Ouch!)

I have yet to see this radio. I don't even know if it's a battery farm radio or 120 volt or whatever. I'm thinking maybe offer her 25 bucks, and that seems high, except she's a friend of my wife's, and I don't want to insult her too badly.
Mark D.

It's interesting but looks to be a tuner rather than a radio. Like a Miessner maybe in a homemade case. I see 4 shortwave bands and what looks like AM. Some type of commications tuner??

You beat me with your response, Mark. I might throw $20 if I was interested but that would probably be it.

Like I said, "bad eyes". I could read the 1 and 2 and thought the rest was FM. My bad.

Jerry

The dial looks a lot like the S-C chassis I found in the town dump as a kid. Cabinet definitely came from the basement.

Carl

A tuner is a possibility. But overnight, at some point, I got the idea that, since the cabinet appears to be definitely a home made thing, someone might have taken a chassis from a console radio and put it in a smaller box. For whatever reason.
I'll try to get a look at it. The lady lives about 40 miles from here, so it will require a dedicated trip. Worth it? Not sure. If it were to turn out to be a high quality chassis from a high quality console, then it might be worth it.
Mark D.

Certainly homemade. Now, I wonder if that's actually the whole tuner and amp in the box, with connections for speakers in the back?

If that box is as closely fitted front-to-back as side-to-side, I have a feeling it's 12+ tubes

Not visible in the reduced photo in the post above, the top of the cabinet is drilled with lots of what appear to be 1/4 inch holes, similar to pegboard. I think that is for both ventilation and maybe a speaker. Not sure.
There is also a zip cord hanging down from the left side of the radio, I assume that's the power cord. Not sure what the other wire looking things are.
Mark D.

a photo of the chassis would make the difference if you can get it

Good suggestion. Wonder why I didn't think of that. She can take a picture of the (assuming it isn't enclosed) and email that.
Thanks
Mark D.

I definitely would not be driving 40 miles without knowing what it looked like from the back and trying to ID the chassis first.

I think everyone agrees the cabinet was homemade. Unless you like the looks of it, and plan to use it, I don't see much reason to own it unless it's that one chance in a thousand that the chassis is valuable.

Dennis, that's exactly how I see it.
The 40 mile drive isn't as bad as it might look on the thread. It's on the way to the Twin Cities, only maybe a mile out of my way, and I head to the Cities at least once a week.
Problem is, this woman is away more than she's home. She is a professional garage sale surfer all spring and summer.
Might be able to see it next week. But photgraph of the chassis would probably tell me all I need to know.
That dial with 5 bands, and the short wave in sequence on frequencies, tells me that it's probably an interesting chassis. As soon as I see something of the chassis, I'll know if I want it or not.
The cabinet is terrible looking. Not even fit for the garage.
But there are things I can do with the chassis, if it's worth it.
Mark D.