I'm very new to this site. And new to vintage radios. I was hoping for some help dating my first vintage radio purchase. I read the tutorial, but I'm still unsure. It's an STC radio made out of wood. The licence number is 801773 and the serial number is A5182. I think it's a 1940s or 1950s but I'm unsure. I have posted some photo links here. Many thanks in advance! Deb

http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq148/theparlourroom/Vintage%20radio/?action=view¤t=IMG_0440.jpg

http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq148/theparlourroom/Vintage%20radio/?action=view¤t=IMG_0447.jpg

http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq148/theparlourroom/Vintage%20radio/?action=view¤t=IMG_0443.jpg

http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq148/theparlourroom/Vintage%20radio/?action=view¤t=IMG_0444.jpg

http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq148/theparlourroom/Vintage%20radio/?action=view¤t=IMG_0446.jpg

http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq148/theparlourroom/Vintage%20radio/?action=view¤t=IMG_0448.jpg

http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq148/theparlourroom/Vintage%20radio/?action=view¤t=IMG_0452.jpg

Looks like 50s or 60s from the design and size of valves.

This site doesn't mention it:
http://www.hws.org.au/RadioHistory/manufacturers/STC.htm

Considering the ARTS&P sticker (http://www.shlrc.mq.edu.au/~robinson/Information/ARTSP.html) it looks like 55-60s

1934 White, serial number prefixed by the letter A
1935-1936 Pale blue, serial number prefixed by the letter B
1936 Pale blue, serial number prefixed by the letter C
1937 Pale blue, serial number prefixed by the letter D
1938 Pale blue, serial number prefixed by the letter E
1939-1940 Pale blue, serial number prefixed by the letter F
1940-1941 Pale blue, serial number prefixed by the letter G
1942-1946 Pale blue, serial number prefixed by the letter H
1946-1952 Dark Green with red letters, serial number prefixed by the letter T
1952-1955 Orange with dark green letters, serial number prefixed by the letter T
1955-1960s Small pale blue, with dark blue letters, no prefix to the serial number.

An article was written in 2000 HRSA Radio Waves on an STC A5162 (http://www.hrsa.asn.au/hrsa-files/rwaves-2-1004.pdf)- don't have it immediately available

Cheers
Graham

My guess is 52 /53 Please check number.

They used 6BE6 as a converter at this point before changing to a 12V type.

Does not appear to be consitent with anything I saw when rushing through AORSM's.

Do not put fingers on valve numbers, they have a bad habit of coming off.

Marc

Thank you so much for your replies. I really appreciate your expertise. I looked at the valves and they all appear to be different. I guess they may not all be original??

Looking at the 4th picture above, starting from the left the first valve has 6ch6 on it, second one doesn't have any number, the third one is completely different with nothing written on it at all (metal instead of glass. Maybe this isn't a valve? I have no idea!) and the one on the furthest right has 6BA6.

Does that give any more clues?? If only they had put a manufacturing date on it!!

I also just realised that A5182 is the model number, not the serial number, which you probably already realised!

So you have 6CH6/?/?/6BA6/?

According to your third picture the line-up should be
6CH6/6X4/6AT6/6BA6/6BE6 (in http://www.hws.org.au/RadioHistory/manufacturers/STC.htm looking similar to A5150)

The second looks like 6X4, so you now have
6CH6/6X4/?/6BA6/?

The valve in the 6AT6 position has a shield on it. You should be able to take this off to check the number.
There should also be one behind the far right hand valve, behind the square can, according to your third picture.

Sometimes you can get lucky with a date (year/month or month/year) on speakers, speaker transformers & transformers, or the tuning gang. Also inspectors sometimes put their numbers with a date on the case or the chassis, though nothing looks like a date in your photos.

Graham

Thanks so much to everyone for your help. I am concerned about damaging the radio if I start poking around too much - especially since it's currently working - so I think I'll settle on assuming it's a mid-1950s model for now. Thanks again for your help!