The Radio Collection

Gentle readers, if there be any of ye,

This is the latest of my collections. Old radios, or radios that are made to look old, but are not. I sometimes wonder if there's anything to reincarnation. You see, I for some reason am fascinated with things, times and events from the first half of the twentieth century. My love of big band music, for instance, fascination with WWII, especially D-Day, and in this case, old radios.


Today, I built the shelves from scrap wood we had lying around. Can you tell from these pictures which are the truly old ones and which are not? Remember, click on any image and it will open full size in another page.

Let's start with the one on the top shelf, left side:


This is a Crosley, a famous name in the radio days. It is a reproduction, still made by Crosley, but with modern transistor electronics and it has a cassette player on the right side. Unlike most of these radios, this one has a pair of 3 inch full-range speakers in it. It plays FM as well as AM.

Next is in fact the one that got me started. I was pleased when Thomas and other companies started making and/or selling reproduction radios in the classic design during the 1980's. I wanted a "Cathedral" style but was shocked at how much they wanted for them new. This one I found at the local Salvation Army. It was Wednesday, so everything was 25% off, making this one less than $20.00.


I decided to upgrade the speaker in this one from the cheap 4 inch single cone to a Sony 5 1/4" three-way car stereo speaker. Seems simple enough, right? NOT! I had to notch the speaker frame at the top to clear a cleat on the inside of the top, and cut it off straight along the bottom, just missing the cone's surround. I then filled the case with poly fill. The results were an outstanding improvement in the sound. Well worth the effort.

It too has a cassette player on the right side and with a Sony cassette adapter, I was able to play CDs from my Sony CD Discman. Since this display is up and running, this radio will only be used when I'm working in the work/laundry room.

This next one is one of the most authentic of the lot and at $25.00 via eBay, the most expensive. But, typical for eBay, a week or two later, I saw plenty of them for a fraction of that price! It is a GE reproduction of their own 1936 model. It and the next one are also the tallest at 15 inches.

It has terrific sound even with the small 4 inch speaker. It is plugged in and was playing while I was making these images.

Last of the top row is a Franklin reproduction. It is the cheapest made of all of them, and sounds cheap as well. It DOES manage to look the oldest and Franklins don't come along often.


NOW, the bottom shelf, which is in fact about 14 inches off the floor, contains the following mix of genuine and reproduction models.

First off, is an old Hallicrafters model 5R10. It was owned and loved by Nancy's Dad, the late Julio Rodriguez of Cauguas Puerto Rico and Falls Church, Virginia. I think he bought it new. MY Dad also had an old Hallicrafters and I enjoyed listening to it as a boy. It was a different model, but was of the same size and construction. I think my brother, Jim has it now.


I had to "paint" over the SSN that Senor (that's what I called him) had engraved on the front of the radio. That's pixel painted. This radio is all tubes and still works. It would need a better antenna to pick up more than AM, though.

Below is what sometimes is called a "Tombstone" radio because of the shape. The Thomas, top shelf, second from left, is also called that. It is a "Classic", I don't recall who made it. I've seen it with or without cassette on the right side. This is without. The whole thing is very light, and it only sounds OK. Still, it was less than $10.00


Next is another Thomas, in the classic Cathedral shape. There is another model that has fancier scroll work for the speaker opening. It's missing the plaque on the bottom front, and could use a cleaning/lubrication. Sounds good.


Last, but not least is the latest and final acquisition. This is a real tube radio. ARIA is the name, but I could find no name. At $8.50 it was the least expensive. Advertised on eBay, as working, it arrived VERY well packed. Despite the seller's efforts, the USPS still knocked a tube and chassis screw loose. Those were not a problem, but the tuning string coming off was!

I tried and tried to find the correct way to wind the silly string so that it would turn everything and not be too tight or too loose. Nancy, God bless her, found a website with 522 diagrams for restringing radios. Those were some sick engineers to come up with such a complicated way to tune a radio and show which frequency you were listening to! I gave up and used a doubled rubber band around the shaft and tuning gang. Works great, but of course the needle doesn't move. It's AM/Police only and the best sounding AM station is all Spanish out of Manassas. Nice music, and I suppose if I listened long enough, I might start to learn the language.


I'd initially planned to refinish the wood, but it adds to the charm of the radio. It's fun to plug it in, and wait for the tubes to warm up. Sounds really good, too. I don't know how old it is.

On a final, unrelated note: Nancy starts back on DAY shift at her job tomorrow. YAY! She turned 45 on Tuesday and still looks half her age. I'm so blessed to be married to her! Not just 'cuz she's beautiful, either, she's my best friend and my absolute mate! We are so alike it's scary, sometimes.

Camera and Lens Group shots continued.

Here are some more shots of groups of cameras and lenses as well. First it the Rollei cameras:




As you can see, I have placed them in descending order according to camera and film sizes. The topmost is all the Rollei family. Aside from a Leica, the Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex camera is one I lusted after. Specifically the tall one in the middle with twin lenses. It uses 120 roll film and produces 6cm by 6cm images on 70mm wide film.

Next two pictures show the TLR with the two SLRs. The larger of the two uses 35mm film and the smaller uses 126 film cartridges which is also 35mm but with paper backing like roll film and holes spaced for 126 film square images.

Next is the 35mm non-reflex cameras. The XF-35 is a compact rangefinder and the 35 is the smallest 35mm full frame camera made. It is not an RF camera. Strictly guess focusing. All have top quality Zeiss optics. Each produces superior images.

Bottom is the smallest. The 16S uses 16mm film. The A110 also uses 16mm film, but in 110 cartridges. 110 uses holes just like the 126 film to tell the camera the next blank frame is ready.

Next is some of the Nikon SLRs that I've owned.


I only now own the N90S:

As you can see, it looks heftier and is definitely taller. The bottom piece is an optional unit that allows vertical framing while still having a shutter button in the right place.

Next. let's look at some lenses. Here first is a picture of the lenses from the Kodak Retina IIIS 35mm RF camera. They also worked on Retina SLR cameras as the two Instamatic Reflex SLRS as well:

Left to right is 28mm, 25mm, 50mm f2.8, 85mm and 135mm. Not shown is the 50mm f1.9. It is on the camera in the display cabinet.

I'd bought a Sears (yes, that Sears) 35mm SLR that had a top speed of 1/2000th of a second shutter speed. It uses what is called Pentax screw or universal screw or M42 threaded lenses.
They have 42mm wide threads and screw onto the camera body. I was able to amass a large number of lenses for it and found a huge rolling case to hold it all:


Why the knife is there, I don't recall. Many late 1950's to early 1970's camera used this type
of lens mount. Later I sold the camera and got my first Nikon, the Nikomat ELW. Here is is in the same case with some of the same lenses:


Some of the M42 lenses used a YS mount. The camera mounts screwed off the lens and another camera's mount could be screwed on. Made for versatility. Below is the Nikon manual focus lenses:



And lastly both the manual focus and autofocus lenses together.

The range is from 10mm fisheye to 750mm telephoto. Most are in new homes now as I almost exclusively shoot digital with the Nikon D70S SLR.

I'm going to close with images of my other camera that have several lenses: Voiglander Bessa RF, a modern day Leica (M39 thread) rangefinder camera:



Next is the Kodak Retina IIIS with the 135mm lens mounted:


Lastly is the Pentax 110 SLR with all it's lenses and other things:

Camera Group Shots

Gentle reader, if there be any of ye,

Below is several group shots of cameras from my original collection. Many of what you see now belong to other collectors. For descriptions of their names, see earlier posts.








Above, starting at the top is one each of all the 126 film SLR cameras made. Their names and country of origin can be found in older blogs. They are viewed from the top, then from the front.
Next is one each of all the 126 film Rangefinder cameras made. Again, viewed from the top then the front. The bottom picture is Kodak's line of 126 film rangefinder cameras. All have spring motors. There is a tab on the bottom that one pulls to wind the spring motor. Good for a few shots before pulling it again.

Below is a view of the vast majority of compact 35mm fixed lens Rangefinder cameras made, these having all black bodies.
Next are chrome ones. Many are the same as above, but chrome instead of black metal parts.

Again, they are compact fixed-lens 35mm Rangefinder cameras. My eBay handle is "rfcollectin". RF refers to rangefinder. Which is the type of cameras I chose to focus on. No pun intended.

Above is a group of all the Olympus compact 35mm RF cameras. Note the different names and speeds of their lenses. The larger ones have a lower "f" number. The lower the number, the "faster" the lens. I.E., it's ability to let in more light, thus being able to capture an image in less light.

Above is the family of 35mm rangefinders as made by the Neoca company. The left-most one is designed to appear like the Nikon S2. It is a 2s.

Below is a group shot of ex-Soviet cameras. All made by FED which is the initials of the founder of the KGB. They did one thing right and that was found an orphanage for kids from WWII. They put them to work making exact copies of Leica cameras. Later they improved upon and made their own designs:

Next is a genuine pre-WWII Contax II surrounded by two ex-Soviet Kievs. The black one is far newer than the chrome one with the tall meter housing on top.

Below is the family of Zorki cameras. I had all but the model # 2 which is quite rare.

Finally below is two "Fake" Leicas. They are formerly Fed or Zorki cameras converted by "artisans" in eastern Europe. Originally to sell to unsuspecting tourists, who thought they were getting a genuine Leica that was captured from some dead German soldier.






The black one was bought via eBay and is "new". The "gold" one is an older one, the gold is the original brass that had the chrome chemically stripped from it and it was highly polished. Again, to fool the unsuspecting into thinking they were getting a super-rare gold plated Leica II.

Next, is a detail shot showing the lenses removed from the black one and my real Leica IIIC.
Note the shaped of the device protruding into the hole.


See the left one is clearly round, the right one is triangular in shape. The other giveaway is the shape of the frame around the viewfinder window on the front of the camera. Below are some images I've saved from other's eBay auctions or just found on the Internet.

Do you see the rectangle frame extends to the right above the screw on this Zorki?
OK, now look at this real Leica:

See how the window frame cuts downward and surrounds the screw? That's the clue. Last lets look at some pictures of a camera claimed to be a genuine WWII BETRIEBSK camera.


See the window frame is correct? It may be genuine, or maybe a genuine Leica modified to look like a real Betriebsk. More pics:




There are thousands of Leica copies, (fakes) circulating the world of camera collecting. Since the first FEDs and Zorkis were exact copies of Leica II cameras, one would think the performance would be the same. Yet, I wind and click the shutter of any of them, then wind and click my Leica IIIC's shutter and it's a world of difference. Here are some pics of my Leica:






You may be thinking, "Whoa! Dude what is that camera covered with?" That is red sea snakeskin. I don't know what kind of sea snake, but that's what it wore. You may also be thinking, where did I get that skin? Same place I get most things: EBay! Why? Well, I saw on line another Leica similarly covered and thought that I just had to do it too:



Pretty, isn't it? Here's another camera similarly endowed, but it is a Seagull from China. I have one as well, but it is plain old black covering.


Now, to show you a really pretty fake "gold" Leica as advertised on eBay:



To close out this treatise that has turned into a Leica feast, here is an image of several fake Leicas. I don't remember where I found it: