Hi. I've just joined up in the hope that someone can help me identify this radio I recently purchased in a second hand shop that I hope to restore. It has no manufacturers name or any labels of any sort attached. In fact I'm not even sure that the chassis is factory built as the valve sockets are not centred in their punched out holes, and there are two RF can transformers that are mounted off the edge of the chassis. There is an aluminium plate behind the three control knobs to the right of the unit but this looks to have been added at a later date as it is has no labelling and has not been glued or otherwise fixed to the cabinet. The only possible identifying feature is a ship under full sail in the centre of the dial that is labelled 0-100 in two scales named "Broadcast" and "Shortwave" although there is no band switch.

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Hi Leovp,

I'm wondering if you were able to indentify your mystery radio, as my brother has a console radio with the same sailing ship design on the dial plate. I too have been unable to identify the make, although I have not been able as yet to dismantle this set. There are no distinguishing markings on the chassis when viewed in place in the console.

Cheers,
Mike

A lot of radios with no branding used an image of a sailing ship on the tuning dial. They were mainly consoles. I am yet to discover the significance of the logos though. Was the sailing ship a brand of tuning dial made by a company similar to RCS Radio? Was it the maker of the whole radio?

Internet searches return the big duck egg for me.

I have searced off and on for a few years now looking for other Aussie radios with that particular sailing ship design. Leovp's is the first I have come across.

It may or may not be significant that my brother's set (actually his wife's hand me down) has lived its entire life in central Queensland? One day I will get back there and have enough time time to dismantle and look for more clues.

Given the elaborate solid wood console of my brother's, I don't think it was a kit radio. Also the dial is massive, probably 15 inches square, with comprehensive station markings including the overseas short wave services of the 1930s and 40s. But on the other hand, both examples are lacking an ARTS&P label - a good clue towards a kit.

Hi MikeM,

No luck with a maker as yet I'm afraid. It's looking more and more like a homemade job, almost like the chassis was built to suit the cabinet. The loudspeaker is overly large for the cabinet opening and some of the holes for the controls have been elongated to suit the chassis mounted pots. Although the manufacture looks a bit rough I'm hoping the radio may surprise me and work quite well. I haven't got as far as powering it up yet. A circuit diagram would be handy but I would like to know who made it to search for one. A catch 22 situation.

Just as a point of interest I bought it at a second hand shop in Coonabarrabran in NSW so I presume it has some history there.

Not knowing what its like underneath it looks restorable from the top even without a circuit. It looks like a fairly typical reflexed set.

The speaker transformer will probably be 7K with a 6V6

I have fixed a set with the IFs hanging over the side, but I will have to research who in the last 400 valve radio's, belonged to it.

Looking at the front, there is no guarantee that the case & chassis are related?

Marc

Long shot but Columbus radios in NZ used a sailing ship symbol - hence Columbus

Thanks Almer,

I haven't been able to confirm it beyond all doubt but it looks a lot like a Columus 85. I don't think it is but I'm just going on a photo of a Colombus 85 as the cabinet looks very similar. It's hard to find much information on these Colombus & Courtenay radios but that sailing ship logo is unmistakable. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.

Hi Leovp

There are some Columbus radios in Stokes "More Golden Age of Radio", but unfortunately not the Columbus 85.
There is however a very clear logo from an old ad. This is a caravelle with two sails on the mainmast, one sail with a cross on the foremast, a sail on the jib sticking out the front and another sail at the back, 5 sails altogether. The ship is sailing to the right.
However: the sailing ship showing on the dials of the radios does not look like this. It looks more like a square rigger, sailing to the left. Unfortunately the reproduction is not as clear as and is much smaller than the logo.
I will scan and send in for Brad to add to the post.

Leovp

"It's hard to find much information on these Colombus & Courtenay radios"

May be worth contacting the the NZ Vintage Radio Society ...

http://www.nzvrs.pl.net/.

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