I just won this Healing mantel radio from the 1940's. One thing I cannot understand though is why I had no challengers toward the end of the auction. Even though this radio is the six volt version, this model normally sells for much more - not that I am complaining.

Ah, another of those rare bakelite transistor radios of the 1940s, complete with thermionic valves.

Well done bagging that!

Yeah, I noticed that. I am often wondering whether such errors with nomenclature are due to a seller not knowing much about the technology or whether they are 'keyword-stuffing' their headings to gain more participants. Sometimes people mention both 'valve' and 'tube' even though 99% of Australians would refer to the device as a valve.

There is 240 volt version of this radio on Ebay at the moment. It also has a very low price after a few bids.

I think a generation of second hand dealers has grown up thinking that "transistor" equates to "portable", or "battery operated".

Many times when I used to buy too many radios on ebay, I'd bid my max, and if someone wants it worse than I do (bids more than my max), then so be it. I have too many American tube radios now, they seem to breed like rabbits (which would be bad news in Australia anyway, as I have heard)... Though I still have a soft spot for Aussie sets.

I suppose the dilemma is that there's so many receivers out there to collect. First we start with the number of brands, then the models they made, followed by what voltage, what mains system, what mains frequency, the number of bands it could receive, the cabinet material and cabinet colour, etc.