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It's a shame that radios are mute when it
comes to their own personal histories, as I'd
be fascinated to learn how this one ended
up where I found it, in a New Hampshire
antiques store, thousands of miles away
from its point of origin down in New Zealand,
that "Land of the Long White Cloud"!
Technical Details
This radio covers the standard broadcast
band and is designed to operate from a
230VAC supply - that is a power trans-
former beneath the rectangular shield at
the rear right of the chassis. The 5-tube line
up is ECH81/6AJ8 (mixer/LO), EF89/ 6DA6
(IF amp), EBC91/6AV6 (2nd det/ AVC/1st
AF), EL84/6BQ5 (AF amp) and EZ80/6V4
(rectifier).
comes to their own personal histories, as I'd
be fascinated to learn how this one ended
up where I found it, in a New Hampshire
antiques store, thousands of miles away
from its point of origin down in New Zealand,
that "Land of the Long White Cloud"!
Technical Details
This radio covers the standard broadcast
band and is designed to operate from a
230VAC supply - that is a power trans-
former beneath the rectangular shield at
the rear right of the chassis. The 5-tube line
up is ECH81/6AJ8 (mixer/LO), EF89/ 6DA6
(IF amp), EBC91/6AV6 (2nd det/ AVC/1st
AF), EL84/6BQ5 (AF amp) and EZ80/6V4
(rectifier).
According to its rear chassis sticker, this
radio was manufactured for Philco by the
Dominion Radio and Electrical Corp Ltd, of
Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand. Following
a little research, I found a green version of
what appears to be the same model online
at Rod's Vintage Radios and Phonos.
I emailed Rod and have since learned from
him that this is a Philco model 401 Alabama,
introduced by the Dominion Radio Corp
(DRECO) in 1956 with an initial sales price
of 16 pounds and 16 shillings.
A subsequent search for DRECO via the
internet has yielded a list of NZ Philco
models produced by Dominion from 1938
through 1956, courtesy of the New Zealand
Vintage Radio Society. According to this list,
model 401 was introduced in 1953.
When I first set eyes on this I thought it was
a custom painted bakelite job, but actually
it's made from a colored plastic that looks
very much like plaskon.
radio was manufactured for Philco by the
Dominion Radio and Electrical Corp Ltd, of
Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand. Following
a little research, I found a green version of
what appears to be the same model online
at Rod's Vintage Radios and Phonos.
I emailed Rod and have since learned from
him that this is a Philco model 401 Alabama,
introduced by the Dominion Radio Corp
(DRECO) in 1956 with an initial sales price
of 16 pounds and 16 shillings.
A subsequent search for DRECO via the
internet has yielded a list of NZ Philco
models produced by Dominion from 1938
through 1956, courtesy of the New Zealand
Vintage Radio Society. According to this list,
model 401 was introduced in 1953.
When I first set eyes on this I thought it was
a custom painted bakelite job, but actually
it's made from a colored plastic that looks
very much like plaskon.
Philco 401 "Alabama" Radio from New Zealand (circa 1956)
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