General Auction Including Antiques, Collectables Gold & Silver (14% Buyers Commission)
A mid-20th-century tabletop valve radio manufactured by The Gramophone Company Ltd. under the His Master’s Voice (HMV) brand. The unit is housed in a dark brown mottled Bakelite cabinet featuring a recessed rectangular tuning dial. The dial is calibrated for three wavebands: Long Wave (1000-2000m), Medium Wave (200-550m), and FM (88-100 Mc/s). The tuning scale lists various European and British stations, including the BBC Home, Third, and Light programmes. The speaker is protected by a woven, cream-coloured fabric grille. Three brown ribbed control knobs are situated below the dial for tuning, volume, and band selection. The top of the cabinet features a gilt transfer mark depicting the Nipper dog logo with a Royal Warrant crest, citing appointment to the late King George V. The text at the base of the mark reads The Gramophone Company Ltd. Hayes, Middlesex. This model likely dates from the mid-to-late 1950s, following the introduction of FM broadcasting in the United Kingdom.
Condition report:
The Bakelite cabinet is structurally sound but shows significant signs of age and use, including extensive surface scratches and scuffing, particularly on the top surface. The gilt transfer remains legible but shows wear. The woven speaker grille fabric displays general discolouration, dust accumulation, and minor sagging consistent with age. The tuning dial glass and internal scale appear to be in good condition. The internal electronic components have not been inspected or tested. The item is sold as untested and may require professional restoration for safe operation.
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