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Crosley 1055EK "Constitution" Tombstone Radio (1935/1936)
The solidly-built ten-tube Crosley 1055EK tombstone radio was
introduced to the public in the summer of 1935 as part of the
Company's line-up for 1936. Crosley used the name "Constit-
ution" to identify the 1055EK, with the same 10-tube chassis
available in both table and console cabinets. These were Cro-
sley's premier models for 1936, with the table (tombstone) set
priced at $99.50 and the console at $115.
For its 1936 line, Crosley adopted predominantly marine and
buccaneer names for identifying their AC and AC-DC radios,
including Galleon, Privateer, Cruiser, Buccaneer, Olympia,
Viking, Monitor, Clipper, Corsair, Travo, Fiver and Merrimac
as well as Constitution. Most were offered in both table and
console versions. In addition, they offered a line of DC mod-
els, including sets for automobiles. The new line was shown
to jobbers at the factory on July 12th, with each model being
personally introduced by Powel Crosley Jr.
The Crosley 1055EK table set is at first glance somewhat
demure. Perhaps this is one reason why not many appear to
have sold. However, upon closer inspection and in use it turns
out to be a class act. I particularly like the band-change escut-
cheon, with its five colored dots, the fancy band-change lever,
and its "space invaders" grille cloth!
The 1055EK is a 10-tube 5-band super-heterodyne featuring
shadow meter, two-speed vernier tuning, tuned RF amplifier
and push-pull audio output. The schematic is available here,
courtesy of NostalgiaAir. The all-metal tube line-up is 6K7 (RF
amp), 6A8 (mixer, or modulator in Crosley parlance), 6C5 (osc),
6K7 (IF amp), 6H6 (detector & AVC), 6C5 (1st AF), 6F6 (2nd
AF amp), 6F6 * 2 (push-pull AF out), 5Z4 (rectifier). Tuning ra-
nges are Orange: 150 - 400kcs (weather); Black: 540 - 1,500
kcs (standard broadcast); Green: 1,500 - 4,000kcs (police/
amateur); Red: 4,000 - 10,000kcs (night high-freq); Violet:
10,000 - 21,000kcs (day high freq).
The new 1936 Crosley line was advertised as offering parallel
sets, providing a choice between using either exclusively the
new metal tubes or the established big-pin glass types. The
Constitution was promoted as using the new octal-based metal
tubes. The 9-tube Clipper, having the same cabinet styles as
the Constitution, was designed for the older, more traditional
big-pin glass tubes: 6D6, 76, 76, 6B7, 42, 42, 42, 6A7, 5Z3.
The Constitution and Clipper are basically the same radio.
There was no metal equivalent to the big-pin 6B7 available in
1935, so Crosley realized this function using a 6H6 and 6K7,
increasing the tube count by 1 for the all-metal set. It would,
incidentally, be mid-1936 before the 6B8 was released - the
metal equivalent to the 6B7.
Some press reports announcing Crosleys's 1936 line could be
construed as implying that metal tubes and, ostensibly, their
recently introduced octal glass counterparts were usable int-
erchangeably in the same set in at least some 1936 models
(see thumb far right). The glass octals corresponding to the
metal types used by the Constitution are:- 6K7G (subbing for
metal 6K7), 6A8G (6A8), 6H6G (6H6), 6C5G (6C5), 6F6G
(6F6) & 5Y3G (5Z4). All were available at the time the model
was released. This said, the Riders schematic for the Const-
itution references only metal types; octal glass substitutions
would likely lead to fit and screening problems. Upon close
scrutiny, advertising (see both Oct 1935 links on this page)
seems to make it clear that the models provisioned to accept
metal tubes (such as the Constitution) were intended to do so
exclusively and that the line offered not interoperability with
the new G-types but parallel sets based upon the older big
pin tubes.
introduced to the public in the summer of 1935 as part of the
Company's line-up for 1936. Crosley used the name "Constit-
ution" to identify the 1055EK, with the same 10-tube chassis
available in both table and console cabinets. These were Cro-
sley's premier models for 1936, with the table (tombstone) set
priced at $99.50 and the console at $115.
For its 1936 line, Crosley adopted predominantly marine and
buccaneer names for identifying their AC and AC-DC radios,
including Galleon, Privateer, Cruiser, Buccaneer, Olympia,
Viking, Monitor, Clipper, Corsair, Travo, Fiver and Merrimac
as well as Constitution. Most were offered in both table and
console versions. In addition, they offered a line of DC mod-
els, including sets for automobiles. The new line was shown
to jobbers at the factory on July 12th, with each model being
personally introduced by Powel Crosley Jr.
The Crosley 1055EK table set is at first glance somewhat
demure. Perhaps this is one reason why not many appear to
have sold. However, upon closer inspection and in use it turns
out to be a class act. I particularly like the band-change escut-
cheon, with its five colored dots, the fancy band-change lever,
and its "space invaders" grille cloth!
The 1055EK is a 10-tube 5-band super-heterodyne featuring
shadow meter, two-speed vernier tuning, tuned RF amplifier
and push-pull audio output. The schematic is available here,
courtesy of NostalgiaAir. The all-metal tube line-up is 6K7 (RF
amp), 6A8 (mixer, or modulator in Crosley parlance), 6C5 (osc),
6K7 (IF amp), 6H6 (detector & AVC), 6C5 (1st AF), 6F6 (2nd
AF amp), 6F6 * 2 (push-pull AF out), 5Z4 (rectifier). Tuning ra-
nges are Orange: 150 - 400kcs (weather); Black: 540 - 1,500
kcs (standard broadcast); Green: 1,500 - 4,000kcs (police/
amateur); Red: 4,000 - 10,000kcs (night high-freq); Violet:
10,000 - 21,000kcs (day high freq).
The new 1936 Crosley line was advertised as offering parallel
sets, providing a choice between using either exclusively the
new metal tubes or the established big-pin glass types. The
Constitution was promoted as using the new octal-based metal
tubes. The 9-tube Clipper, having the same cabinet styles as
the Constitution, was designed for the older, more traditional
big-pin glass tubes: 6D6, 76, 76, 6B7, 42, 42, 42, 6A7, 5Z3.
The Constitution and Clipper are basically the same radio.
There was no metal equivalent to the big-pin 6B7 available in
1935, so Crosley realized this function using a 6H6 and 6K7,
increasing the tube count by 1 for the all-metal set. It would,
incidentally, be mid-1936 before the 6B8 was released - the
metal equivalent to the 6B7.
Some press reports announcing Crosleys's 1936 line could be
construed as implying that metal tubes and, ostensibly, their
recently introduced octal glass counterparts were usable int-
erchangeably in the same set in at least some 1936 models
(see thumb far right). The glass octals corresponding to the
metal types used by the Constitution are:- 6K7G (subbing for
metal 6K7), 6A8G (6A8), 6H6G (6H6), 6C5G (6C5), 6F6G
(6F6) & 5Y3G (5Z4). All were available at the time the model
was released. This said, the Riders schematic for the Const-
itution references only metal types; octal glass substitutions
would likely lead to fit and screening problems. Upon close
scrutiny, advertising (see both Oct 1935 links on this page)
seems to make it clear that the models provisioned to accept
metal tubes (such as the Constitution) were intended to do so
exclusively and that the line offered not interoperability with
the new G-types but parallel sets based upon the older big
pin tubes.
Here it is... all-wave receiver that gets everything.
| "Ten metal tubes. All-wave bands. Here's the maximum in radio reception. The last word in beauty of design and tone quality" |
newspaper ad from Oct 1935
Radio Retailing: Oct 1935 (left)
Aug 1935 (above)
Aug 1935 (above)
click any thumbnail to enlarge
161/2" (W) * 11" (D) * 20" (H)
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