Hello, I have a very old tall cabinet valve radio that is made by Taswon Radio, it is numbered 256 on a small brass manufactures plate on the rear. I can not find any information at all on this make so I was hoping that someone may be able to assist. Many Thanks.

Not a brand I've ever encountered.

It sounds like you may have a console radio from the 1930s. Back then it was not uncommon for retailers of household goods, furniture, etc to have their own house brands put on radios made by major radio chassis manufacturers.

It may help us to identify the chassis if you let us know the valve types in it.

Good, in-focus, photos of front and rear of the radio can also be helpful.

I remember it being discussed here before a few years ago though, interestingly enough, it is not coming up in forum search and both Bing and Google have nothing either.

I do recall it being someone's house brand.

Hi, Thankyou all for your feedback. The unit has three valves- 2x RCA Radiotron Electron 852 & 1x Radiotron 1/4 AE Made In Australia.
I have taken photo's and will send them through to be attached.
Many Thanks & Regards.

No ARTS&P sticker so maybe a kitset. I can see 6 valves. Looks 1935/36 ish.

You just have to admire the dodgy mains wiring. That looks very much like Push-Pull output. That is significant as a way of narrowing it down. I cannot see slugs or trimmers topside. If its superhet (Screen grid type Autodyne) There may be trimmers in the base of the can?

There are three other valves inside goat shields. They have wires attached to their tops.

Nice looking radio & probably quite rare too.

The only reference to Taswon I can find is in the West Wyalong (NSW) Advocate, (Trove Newspapers) 14/09/1934.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188525891/21408522

A Taswon radio was exhibited by John Meagher (pronounced Marr) & Co. Ltd., at the 1934 West Wyalong Show. So it could be possible that this radio is a generic house brand set for John Meagher & Co., of West Wyalong.

I reckon those big valves might be a pair of 2A3's. They look too big to be 45's. Those coil cans & valve shields could be made by Acorn of Sydney.

"John Meagher (1836-1920), storekeeper and politician, was born on 8 December 1836 at Kilrush, Clare, Ireland, son of Roger Meagher, fisherman and coastguard, and his wife Catherine, née Mahoney. He arrived in Sydney about 1863 and at St Mary's Cathedral married Mary Ann Byrne (d.1895), housekeeper, on 19 September 1864. That year he moved to Bathurst where he was employed by Edmund Webb who later became a commercial and political rival.

Meagher opened his own store at Bathurst in 1867, followed by branches at Hill End, Trunkey, Locksley and Dirty Swamp. Large stores were later established at Temora, West Wyalong, Barmedman, Forbes, Cootamundra, Parkes and Yass. He imported drapery, grocery, ironmongery, wines and spirits and furniture. By extending customer credit on the advice of their store-managers John Meagher & Co. assisted the development of the central and south-western districts of New South Wales."


NSW Heritage listing:

John Meagher & Co (former)

Name of item: John Meagher & Co (former)
Other name/s: Target Country, J B Youngs, Grace Bros.
Type of item: Built
Group/Collection: Retail and Wholesale
Category: Department Store
Primary address: 98-106 Main Street, West Wyalong, NSW 2671
Parish: Wyalong
County: Gipps
Local govt. area: Bland

Thankyou so much for all of this fantastic feedback. Really amazing to have access to this type of knowledge.
What an incredibly informative forum.
Thanks Again.