At an antique shop today, I found an old radio - a Bell Colt in a blue case. The tag reads "BELL COLT RADIO: Made in New Zealand by the Bell Radio & Television Corp, produced from 1951 to 1971; Bakelite case; full working order $268".

How old would such a radio be, and would it be worth $268 (It has been electronically restored)? Apparently these are relatively common, but research has turned up very little on the blue ones.

Chris

New one to me, have not seen any blue bakelites although they are about.

As for the $268 price tag depends on how anxious one is to have it.

A blue bakelite would an attractive addition to a collection although I am speaking sight unseen.

Is it a mains set or a battery portable ?

Hi Simplex,

I believe it was a mains powered set, though as it was in a display cabinet, I couldn't see the rear.

If you Google Images you get plenty of results,
including some blue ones.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=BELL+COLT+RADIO....

There might be something to find in following that to it's pages.

Thanks Art, now that I have seen one it would be a nice addition to a collection.

Must admit I have not seen many blue bakelites and would not mind one.

If it is in full working order and repaired it may be a good buy.

According to Stokes "Golden Age of Radio" and "More Golden Age of Radio", the Colt was a five valve, four valve with solid state rectifier or all transistor. Made from 1951 -1980. Described as the "famous Colt" - was NZ's top selling radio, 160,000 were made. Were well made and very reliable.

Evidently the cabinet used was that for the Airzone 458, with an extra hole for a tone control knob.

So this radio might be of interest for Airzone 458 collectors looking for a blue cabinet.

Colts with solid oak cabinets were also sold.

What's it worth and bla,... the value you attribute to it.
I'd go for the timber one myself eBay might disagree with me!

If its a blue cabinet just check that it hasn't been painted by a previous owner. However these sets and the Airzones that share this cabinet did come in a wide range of colours. I've owned Airzones in walnut, white, mottled pink, marble and mottled green but there is also a mottled blue. I think the Bells were only available in plain (non-mottled) colours.

Also, the Airzones only had volume and tuning controls. The Bells came with a third control, probably for tone.

If it genuine blue Bakelite, in good nick with no cracks or crazing and only $268.00 then buy it now whilst the dealer doesn't realise its value. These things go for double that on Ebay.

The knobs aren't right, and the two blue examples on Google,
only one of them has it's blue knobs.

Seems like a interesting radio if, as Brad has remarked, it is a genuine blue bakelite and not painted.

The knobs may be not be correct but still is a nice looking radio.

First time I've seen one and if it is a genuine blue bakelite think for $268 it would be a good buy.

The Bell's used the third knob as either tone control on BC models or a wave change switch on SW models with a tone control on the rear. NZ has an eBay type website called Trade Me. I restored a white Bell some time back and from what I could see at the time it was the fire engine red ones that bought the big money. The blue ones weren't particularly rare and went for around $100-150. The valves on mine were rimlock and incredibly hard to get in Australia if you need one. The original Bell's I've seen all had knobs that matched the colour of the cabinet although for whatever reason it was common for knobs to be missing. I suspect they're not easy to find replacements for. One problem I found whilst doing mine is the the highly polished aluminium chassis. I've got halogen lights above my workbench which are usually great but on this radio I was constantly blinded!

I'll bet that one knob going missing usually results in the other
two being tossed because it can't look right with just one replaced.


Why aren't there more valve radios with aluminium chassis when
it's valves that made the production of aluminium possible, and booming.

One simple explanation for the use of steel in a radio chassis - steel is cheaper than aluminium. It is also a lot easier to solder to. Radios that were fitted with aluminium chassis' had busbar wire running around the guts to serve as the return connection and such arrangements were limited to a select few upmarket models.

I never considered whether or not it would be harder.

Right now I use a low power iron mostly,
but to solder directly to a chassis takes my 60 Watt iron.
It seems neater if you cut out an electrolytic,
and your new lead can reach the chassis, to make it do so.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Green-Bakelite-5-Valve-Radio-/111251222572....

Here's a green one if you want the blue radio to have a good companion.