Philco Model 95 Highboy & Highboy Deluxe  Radios (1929)
Philco's model 95 9-tube screen-grid plus chassis
was introduced in October of 1929, a little over a
year after the company's debut as a radio manufac-
turer (see announcement at the foot of this column).
And what a radio it was too! Reportedly designed
with the help of Hazeltine Labs, its TRF circuitry per-
formed extremely well. Plus it sounded very good as
well. Some commentators have perhaps justifiably
pronounced it as being one of the best TRF receiv-
ers of the era!

The 95 was offered for sale in a choice of the Low-
boy, Highboy, Highboy Deluxe and Tudor cabinets
that had been available since June of 1929, outfitted
with Philco's model 65 screen-grid or model 87 neut-
rodyne-plus chassis. It could also be purchased as
a table model, with a cabinet similar to the Spanish
brown
model 511 from 1928. This same table model
had been available since June with a type 65 chas-
sis.

Both the model 95 Highboy-Deluxe and the 95 High-
boy are featured on this page. The Highboy Deluxe
(right) was Philco's premier model for the season,
the cabinet comprising exquisite veneers and fancy
moldings. It had a sales price of $225, not including
tubes. That would be $3090 in today's dollars! The
95 Highboy, in a less expensive though still impres-
sive cabinet (lower right), listed at $169.50 (less
tubes). Both cost $10 more in the Western USA.

Philco's cabinets at this time were claimed by the
company to be products of a strategy of manufact-
uring radio sets that were truly beautiful "articles of
furniture". In this I believe they were highly success-
ful, for these stunning models are as remarkable in
appearance as they were in 1929 as receiving app-
aratus. Below, I have reproduced two articles, found
in 1929 newspapers, one describing features of the
95 Highboy cabinet and the second overviewing
Philco's philosophy of producing cabinets that were
quality furniture pieces.

With what had become typical Philco flare, the 95's
introduction was accompanied with an advertising
blitz and much media fanfare. To top it all, a jumbo
version of the 95 Highboy was produced as a sales
tool. It was 16 feet high, 8 feet wide and 5 feet
deep. This giant radio was hauled around the
country between Philco dealers, who displayed it
prominently in public places for several days at a
time. Inside was a production model 95, connected
through booster amplifiers to a large speaker
placed behind the jumbo's speaker panel. Radio
programs and phonograph records were played
through the giant set, with almost a continuous pro-
gram issued forth to entertain those who gathered
to listen. What a spectacle it must have been! The
campaign was successful, since almost 100,000*
models using the Highboy cabinet (16,500 using the
Deluxe) were sold. Some ads showing some of the
Jumbo Philcos can be seen at these links:-
1, 2, 3.

On the technical side, the model 95 is an impres-
sive radio. It incorporates Philco's screen-grid plus
chassis which embodied all of their latest radio ad-
vances, including (with words from their original
advertisements shown in italics):- "
automatic volume
control"
(to combat fading of weak stations and
blasting by strong ones), "
new super-sharp select-
ivity"
(helped by the use of double tuned circuits in
the front end), "
almost auditorium volume" (using
two of the new type 245 tubes in push-pull along
with an electrodynamic speaker), an "
entirely new
circuit to automatically reduce background noise
and static"
, all this combined with "enormous pow-
er, making it easy to get distant stations"
.

The screen-grid plus chassis has the following tube
line-up:- 224 * 3 (three stages of RF amplification),
227 (2nd detector/AVCdiode), 227 (detector amp)**,
227 (1st AF), 245 * 2 (push-pull AF output) and
280 (rectifier). The 224s used as RF amplifiers are
the screen grid tubes of the chassis' namesake.
These tubes had the benefit of not needing to be
neutralized, unlike the earlier type 26 triodes used
by Philco's older neutrodyne-plus chassis (see my
511 page). One point of additional note is that the
model 95 was the first radio to combine the function
of the 2nd detector and automatic-volume-control,
using a clever circuit developed by Harold Wheeler
at the Hazeltine Corporation. The schematic can
be found
here, courtesy of NostalgiaAir.

I found the wonderful Highboy at a flea market in
2005 and one day soon I hope to hear it playing
again. The Deluxe I purchased from the estate of a
local collector, fully restored and playing beautifully.
Both sets are cosmetically in fully original condition.
Definitely two of my favorite consoles!

* -
production figures sourced from philcoradio.com
** - see the foot of my Philco 111 page for an explanation
   of the Philco "detector amp".
The Highboy Cabinet

I came across the following 1929 newspaper article
describing the features of the model 95's highboy cabinet.
Perfect matching of beautiful
wood, forming a reversed
diamond design, has gone into
the manufacture of the Philco
standard balanced-unit highboy,
to make the radio receiver one
of the most attractive yet to
appear in any radio store.

American walnut, used as
veneer wood on top and ends of
the cabinet, butt walnut used
in the front side panels,  and
striped oriental walnut in the
doors, are used to make one of
the most ornate combinations
of cabinet work exhibited this
year.

In addition to these features,
the instrument panel has been
done in warm brown highly
figured birds-eye maple, and
decorative overlays on
side-panels, door and apron
serve to add to the
attractiveness of the job.

Perhaps the most outstanding
feature in the new Philco
Highboy is a speaker
  opening covered with specially
designed genuine tapestry
"autumn tints" made
exclusively for this Philco
model. This is a woven
tapestry and not the usual
cheap printed design. This
feature already is one of the
most talked of innovations in
radio cabinet making.

The entire cabinet is stained
and, contrary to the making of
some radio cabinets, all grain
is filled, the entire cabinet
being blended with a shading
stain to achieve a rich brown
tone.

High grade shellacs and
lacquers used in finishing the
cabinet insure the permanence
of its fine finish. Hardware is
of bronze of the highest grade
which has been richly oxidized
and antiqued.

Strength and rigidity of the
set are insured by glue blocks
and solid full frame
construction.
...genuine tapestry  ..autumn tints made exclusively for this Philco
Radio Sets to Become Articles of Furniture

A second article, reproduced from another 1929
newspaper, provides insight into Philco's strategy
regarding production of their early radio cabinets.
It is the belief of the makers
of the Philco radio set that in
the future emphasis is going to
be put upon the radio as an
article of furniture. This is
because the radio set today is
becoming so perfected that all
makes have some merit.

The radio set seems destined
to parallel the progress of the
phonograph. At first, every
effort was put forth to
perfect the mechanism. After
this had been widely
accomplished and the public was
quite certain to get a good
instrument whichever way it
turned, the interest turned to
the appearance of the cabinets.
It is so with radio. The
all-electric feature has
revolutionized radio. While
there is still room for degree
of excellence in tone,
sensitivity and volume control,
as shown by the conquests we
have made in these
  fields, the general character
of the set has so advanced
that finer cabinets are in
demand where the excellence
of the instrument is taken
for granted.

We amongst others are taking
note of this trend and are
emphasising the beauty of the
consoles we are making. We
utilize the art of such
masters as Hollingsworth
Pearce and Albert Carl
Mowitz. We show too that the
high art need not be
expensive. We have
anticipated the public's
desire also by putting out, for
the first time colored metal
cabinets in tints and designs
to harmonize with color
schemes in the home. We have
also taken steps to prevent
unscrupulous dealers from
putting our sets into inferior
cabinets and palming them off
as our own.
Philco 95 screen-grid plus - HOLD and
ENJOY programs from other cities!
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Philco Model 95 HighBoy Deluxe Console Radio (1939)
Philco Model 95 HighBoy Deluxe Console Radio (1939)
Philco 95 HighBoy Deluxe Console Radio Rear View (1939)
Philco Model 95 HighBoy Console Radio (1939)
Philco Model 95 HighBoy Console Radio (1939)
Dec 17th
1929, Pa
Apr 21st 1930, Bakersfield, Ca
Philco Model 95 Highboy Deluxe
Philco Model 95 Highboy
Philco Model 95 Highboy Deluxe
Announcements for Philco's Screen-
Grid Plus. (L) "Radio" Magazine, Nov
1929. (R) Reno Evening Gazette, Nov
22nd 1929.
Click on any thumbnail to enlarge..
Oct 31st, Illinois