Coolest looking tube tuner?

[Freestone]

I recall reading an article/post? about a really awesome looking tube tuner (tuner not receiver I believe) that was art deco - looked like from the 1920's or 1930's. Apparently so expensive back then they didn't sell many.

It was amazing looking though

Any thoughts as to what it was?

[Rayooo]

I always thought the coolest looking classic gear was the Marantz 22XX receivers and the Marantz Model 10 and 20 tuners.

[Freestone]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

I always thought the coolest looking classic gear was the Marantz 22XX receivers and the Marantz Model 10 and 20 tuners.

Thanks but was thinking of a much older one. 1940s?

[GaryProtein]

I don't know, with no scope, only a signal strength meter [maybe] and being mono, so not even a stereo light to light up, how cool will a 1940s tuner be?

I have a Scott Wideband 310D with a separate stereo multiplexer (ca 1960), but the only thing that might be cool is the round tuning dial.

[Rayooo]

Originally Posted by Freestone

Thanks but was thinking of a much older one. 1940s?

I'd just jumped to thinking "FM" , but 20's 30's would have surely had to have been AM/Shortware.

There were dozens of the old floor standing AM/Shortware monsters around. Philco, Zenith...and a bunch of Table Top ones also...Emerson etc.etc.

i.e:

[Freestone]

I am sorry. Maybe it was 40s or 50s. Just beautiful classic tube look. Like an old bentley car...

Alas...

[GaryProtein]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

I'd just jumped to thinking "FM" , but 20's 30's would have surely had to have been AM/Shortware.

There were dozens of the old floor standing AM/Shortware monsters around. Philco, Zenith...and a bunch of Table Top ones also...Emerson etc.etc.

i.e:

That's a great radio. I bet the woodwork in the cabinet cost more than the electronics, even though it was completely hand made.

[Freestone]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

I'd just jumped to thinking "FM" , but 20's 30's would have surely had to have been AM/Shortware.

There were dozens of the old floor standing AM/Shortware monsters around. Philco, Zenith...and a bunch of Table Top ones also...Emerson etc.etc.

i.e:

That us cool looking.

[LordoftheRingsEE]

Originally Posted by Freestone

I recall reading an article/post? about a really awesome looking tube tuner (tuner not receiver I believe) that was art deco - looked like from the 1920's or 1930's. Apparently so expensive back then they didn't sell many.

It was amazing looking though

Any thoughts as to what it was?

With a little bit more direction perhaps we can help.
{Try to describe it the best you can from your memory.}

* Here's one from 1924: AWARD WINNING1924 CROSLEY TRIRDYN 3 TUBE NEWPORT WITH VERNIER TYPE TUNING DIALS | eBay

** And a much later model (1st FM radio): http://www.ebay.com/itm/130723523768

[GaryProtein]

While the later posts showing the older radios were very beautiful, they are RADIOS, NOT TUNERS as we refer to them today.


A LITTLE HISTORY:

FM radio was invented in 1933 by Edwin Armstrong, and by the start of WWII, there were only about 50 FM radio station in the US. The war deterred further development until 1949, at which point, the frequencies originally used for FM had been changed because David Sarnof from the RCA radio empire didn't want to lose listeners from their AM stations, so they convinced the FCC to change the frequencies for commercial FM in the 1940s to what they are today. That obsoleted all the FM radios, and purchasers of FM radios were not about to purchase new FM radios after seeing their previous investments become worthless. By 1949, most FM station had shut down. In 1954, Edwin Armstrong who had invested his life and savings into the development of FM radio which he had seen destroyed by RCA, removed the air conditioner from the window of his 13th floor NYC apartment and jumped to his death.