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The Airzone model 537 "Symphony Leader"
*was made in
Australia in the late '30s and is a beautiful large bakelite 'tombstone' with a large round dial. It sports an enameled Airzone badge and the lit
dial turns
from amber to green when switched between AM and Shortwave. A separate white plaskon
fitting outlines the speaker grill. An absolutely stunning radio of perfect proportions, one of my favorites!
During 3½ years of it production, only 12,000 of "Symphony Leaders" were ever made. Some were AC only, some AC/DC, others battery only.
Other differences included a pushbutton version and others that were broadcast only.
Airzone started manufacturing radios in 1925 making crystal sets and prospered with the introduction of tariffs in 1930.
Moving to a new location on Parramatta Road at
Camperdown in Sydney they soon expanded to 750 employees and become one of Australia's leading radio manufacturers.
Airzone made radios for Malvern Star, Peal and Mullard and did not
make their own badged sets until 1937.
The Airzone model 529 "Radio Star" was also made in
Australia in the late '30s of marbled brown bakelite with a beautiful white plaskon speaker grill.
The Airzone Radio Stars were made in many versions from 1936 to 1941.
Both the "Radio Star" and "Symphony Leader" have amazing similarities to the US-made
Pilot Radios, although no link between the
two manufacturers has been found.
Astor Mickey Mouse
Astor Mickey Mouse model BP, made in Australia in 1937-1940,
reportedly under agreement with Walt Disney. Later this was
challenged and Mickey was removed from the colorful
reverse-painted glass dial but the cabinet stayed the same with "Mickey
Mouse" still embossed under the dial (model EC). A very sought-after
bakelite radio. An interesting note is that the knobs used are identical to the knobs occasionally found on some
US-made Emerson Mickey Mouse radios from the '30s
(...and other early US Emerson radios -
see the model 20A).
Click on
the thumbnails below for a closer look at the dial and chassis stamp from
the BP model.
Model 38, made in
Australia, brown bakelite with a chrome escutcheon and beetle grill and feet, also
originally available with a green cutout grill and feet, 1937. This cabinet style was also made with a
'airplane' style dial; the model 33A.
The model R52 was made in
Australia in 1939 in a beautifully marbled, brown bakelite, 3 piece cabinet with a chrome escutcheon.
Very similar in its skyscraper design to the model 48, but much larger.
"Golden Voice" Model 403e "Moderne" ,
Australian, very rare green plaskon version, also was originally available in white or brown. Made in 1950. One of its
selling points was to hang this heavy radio on your wall!
His Masters Voice,
Model 440, stunning marbling in a quality-built cabinet, using separate
insert bakelite pieces for the speaker grill, dial escutcheon and trim
stripes, 1938. The
center white embossed emblem depicts
the popular Nipper and gramaphone logo.
The Kriesler "Beehive" model 11-4 was made in 1945. Interestingly constructed using
separate pieces of bakelite for the top, bottom and louvers. The louvers continue around to the back completely enclosing
the radio.
"Highlight Series" model FJN, The ultimate bullet shaped
radio, made in Australia in 1949. The large (17"x10"x10") cabinet is made of brown
marbled bakelite with a full bakelite
back.
Click
here (1) or
here (2) for some
views showing off the beautiful marbling.
TASMA (Thom & Smith Radio Company) was a Sydney radio manufacturer that produced this beautiful 1938 bakelite set, the model 505.
This was a very well-made radio, with even a separate glass covering the glass inner dial.
This 500-600 series continued until the end of 1940, with some variations, including different knobs and a different design around the knobs.
They included a top speaker cloth with a silk screened cabin scene.
This feature and the beautiful large dial make it very popular with collectors and is quite rare.
This example's dial didn't survive the journey to the US. But, I discovered the Aussie radio collectors are so friendly and
helpful, and they found me an exact reproduction glass dial in short time!
"Aristocrat", from
Australia, the 1947 model 750 is a large (17 inches wide) bakelite set available in similar
versions with different dials and 4 knobs,
nearly identical to some Belmont styles. This version with a beautiful
2-color red/green reverse-painted glass
dial. A white plaskon version is rarely seen.
Although nearly 3 times as large, the design is amazingly similar to the US-made
Belmont 519 and 520.
Which came first, the Technico or Belmont??
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