I had to go over the border today to meet a fellow and pick up some gear I had bought off FB . Anyway when I turn up at the house it is a very nice old 50s house and beautiful garden , Which as you guys know I just love those homes Anyway I met the guy and was younger than me and lived at with mum .Both were very nice warm people , Well we went around the back of the yard and it was full of old stuff ,old 50s Fridges and lots of Animals ,Dogs ,birds ,Cockatoo and so Daughter had a ball of a time. The guy said to me , Would you like to see some of my old stuff ? Ohhh yep ! so we go into this shed and the first thing is a HQ Holden and sgns all over the walls and then there is a line up of 300 vintage mowers in amazing condition , ! I said to him wow ! how long have you been doing this for and he said 6 years ,he was only young in his 30s but had a passion for old things ,, Everywhre I looked there was old stuff ,But the people were the best part of the day ,old fashion down to earth people.I had a good day out away from the lockdown which is driving me NUTs and of course ive come home with some stμF !!!!!!!!!f ,,Oh and one of those mowers too !


Pete

Back in 2006 I drove up to Caloundra, QLD to pick up a radio that I didn't want posted - too big and fragile to put in the post. I got a similar surprise when I arrived at the farm, more of a hobby farm really.

I was taken inside to pay for the radio and pick it up and was invited to see the bloke's collection at the same time. Here was I, thinking there'd be a lounge room with 10, maybe 20 radios - nah ah.... We went straight out the back door, down a gravel path to a shed, about 10m x 15m and in there were well over 1,000 radios, all restored, all working and all on proud display. Along the floor was a row of consoles from each era with shelves above for table and mantel radios. Near the door were a few Kriesler, AWA and HMV radiograms from the 1960s and then in the adjacent corner was his workbench with around 10 radios awaiting their turn at a refurb. He did it all, just like Fred does - cabinet and chassis.

Needless to say, I left quite impressed - and with a radio that was expertly restored and working. It is amazing to think of the number of similar Aladdins caves out there.

Brad ,,yep there are some interesting people out there still,,not all yobos !

Check out the marquetry + parquetry on this beauty: https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/ele/7109373044.html

I wonder what type of audio-pwr-output bottles it uses?

Not a bad looking radio. It wouldn't have been a base model with a cabinet like that.

I wish Ebay still looked like that site. No ads and other crap in people's postings and a very minimalist site overall. And it loads quickly too. Every time Ebay 'upgrades' its site, there's more junk and less accessibility - they make the text too bloody small.

Very hard to get a unique Radio or ,Tv , Radiogram in Australia. I see Amazing stuff in the States,but here its always the same models and there basic models we dont get the fancy stuff that Europe or the states get , The early Radiograms and stereograms in Europe are mind-blowing with FM and wild designs of the Era , The USA has 50s TV sets that look like they came out of a Sci-Fi movie . .. The most Unique one I have owned was a 1962 Nivico Radiogram .... Generally our stuff is very plain and basic compared to the other side of the world

I feel our best radiograms and TVs were Kriesler , but there is nothing Unique about them or outstanding in looks or bells ,, The best is considered to be the 11 103 which is not my favourite, but its the one people want the most which ran from about 65,66 ... Still no FM ! But has good sound and 6 speakers, Next would be the 11 97 Electrostatic it came in 2 models ,4 and 6 speakers and Ran from 62 ..which is a nice unit . But my little sony 1962 Radio is FM !

pete

"I wonder what type of audio-pwr-output bottles it uses?"

Going by the turntable it would be late 60s. Maybe Compactrons?

I once saw a HiFi amp that used 4 x CTV type Vertical Output compactrons. I replaced the oil caps in it. Worked quite well as I recall...

The sets in the US that I lust after are the colour TV "Roundies".
They have so many to choose from and there is a thriving industry in restoring them.
Lots of NOS parts available to keep them going.

Actually I know where there is an as new Kriesler 11 103 , It was offered to me ,But I knocked it back because I need anther Radiogram like a hole in the Head , But it was a beauty and it was $550 so that would of also been more than I can afford , I see them sell for 300 -800 for a good one . This one was exceptional.

Pete

Check out the marquetry + parquetry on this beauty

Here's that GE RC4535 radiogram (aka "Mediterranean") advertised in 1963, priced at US$609.95 ... which The Fed says is today's equivalent of US$5,091.88

https://imgur.com/PYv6hyi

"Maybe Compactrons?"
That's what I thought also, but turned out to be hybrid with big germanium Delco output transistors.

"Here's that GE RC4535 radiogram (aka "Mediterranean")"
Good find, we couldn't find anything on it.

My friend picked it up today. Back label calls the cabinet "Provincial" style, its woodgrain appears to be oak.
Disappointing speakers: 12" with small magnet + tweeters.

Seller had some much better consoles, posting pic below: '59 Ampex (feat. inbuilt JBL speakers) and a '58 Fisher 'President'
- the Ampex had finely-woven 'Rattan-cane' speaker grilles! - sound was very pleasant but a bit of a bass thump around 80 Hz.

Pete, both Kriesler and Stromberg Carlson made upmarket models here. Their consoles and radiograms were built like tanks and generally had better tone than most of the other brands.

Photos uploaded to Post 11.

Brad ,

Yes, I have Kriesler Radiograms, I have two 1960 ,11-77 models and I have a 1963 Eltrostaic 11-97, But I also have a 1962 Blaupunkt Radiogram which is FM and I have a 1958 Telefunken Sonata Radiogram which is FM too. Now I love Kriesler stuff Yes , But compared to what Europe had in 58,60,65, etc we were behind a long way in terms of design and sound. But one must remember that back then things were very costly here, So a Top of the range Radiogram from Germany would of been an arm and a leg here . The Radiograms of Europe had amazing looks and designs too , Another point too was Shure was making MM Cartridges in 58, and in 1960 you could Run a Moving Magnet cartridge on many Radiograms overseas, The M7D etc was a MM way back in 1959 .. In the States, people would buy the shure pre-Amp m60 for their Units. Meanwhile, here in Oz we were all still putting Crystal cartridges in BSR and Garrards .with NO FM until years later either.
But it is what it is and My Krieslers do sound wonderful and they are my favourites but they lack that advanced Technology that people in Europe had at that time, Also we have a nostalgia connection to Kriesler, That we don't have with the European brands.

Pete

NEWVISA ,, Its Teak ! Teak and Tweed always looks good