This gorgeous Art Deco radio is the 1937 Philco 37-610T and is known in today's collecting circles as the “The Big Bullet”. This is a premium grade 3-Watt output, five-tube chassis, and it is a performer! This model first appeared in the fall of 1936 and sold for USD $45. Philco’s 610 series had four distinct models with different cabinet styles - including console floor models. This model 610T is the tabletop version with a round left side, with a speaker opening that combines a round lower half with several horizontal bars in the upper half, somewhat resembling a small Greek 'sigma.' This model came in Walnut or Maple. There were only 3,000 of these Maple units made.
Today this attractive radio is sought after by collectors but seldom found in this condition. We acquired this one in early 2020 from a collector who had partially restored it. The cabinet was in excellent shape. However, the chassis was not working and needed a full restoration and upgrade.
Cabinet – The cabinet needed little restoration. The original light-colored maple veneers have stood the test of time. The front piping pin stripes and footer are tone with period correct brown and the entire cabinet sealed with a high-gloss lacquer. We added an exact match Philco reproduction grille cloth and retained the original control knobs. The knobs, from left to right, are on/off/three-point tone control, band switch (center), fine/coarse tuning (upper middle) and volume (right). The result is this handsome looking radio that will last many, many years into the future.
Dial – The very stylish Art Deco Globe dial is quite an impressive sight - especially in a dim or dark room. The dial exhibits the broadcast scale at the bottom and two consecutive shortwave bands on top. As you select a band the ‘Glow Beam Indicator’ lights up the frequency you tune. The letters and number are very legible because the faceplate is a brand-new reproduction of the original. The Glow Beam Indicator light shields are original. The cabinet dial glass and free & clear of any chips, breaks or cracks. The surrounding brass escutcheon has been stripped and refinished to keep its like-new look well into the future.
Chassis – For its age there was no damage and only minimal, small spots of rust. We cleaned the steel chassis exterior and added rust inhibitor or paint to stop future corrosion. We went through the entire underside of the chassis replacing all the capacitors, checking, and replacing resistors and wires where needed. It now plays very well across the dial and all bands even with the simplest of antennas. All tubes were checked and replaced where needed with NOS (new old stock) tubes. We disassembled and lubricated the main tuning capacitor gears and concentric tuning mechanism for smooth tuning operation. A new power cord was installed for electrical safety and new silicone rubber chassis mounts were added for better vibration isolation. We added an Auxiliary input and switch on the back and aligned the radio for the Bluetooth adapter.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we had the all-original 5-1/4 inch speaker cleaned and reinforced. The result is clear audio across the entire audio frequency range. This radio produces exceptional bass tones for its size and the great sound will fill the room.
Bluetooth - Additionally, this radio has been fitted with our custom Bluetooth / MP3 adapter which allows you to switch between the radio or your smartphone or music device. Access your streaming audio service or the playlist on your smart device to provide classic tunes and bring the warm, bright, analogue sound to any music or recording you choose. The quality of the sound is excellent. You will have the best of “digital” and “analogue” combined.
Year of Manufacture: 1936/1937
Band Frequency Ranges:
AM Broadcast Band..............530 – 1720 kHz
Shortwave Band 1……………….2.3 – 7.4 MHz
Shortwave Band 2……………….7.35 – 22 MHz
Dimensions: 17"W x 13"H x 92"D
Weight: 22 pounds
See demo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRTp0WP6W4c
Today this attractive radio is sought after by collectors but seldom found in this condition. We acquired this one in early 2020 from a collector who had partially restored it. The cabinet was in excellent shape. However, the chassis was not working and needed a full restoration and upgrade.
Cabinet – The cabinet needed little restoration. The original light-colored maple veneers have stood the test of time. The front piping pin stripes and footer are tone with period correct brown and the entire cabinet sealed with a high-gloss lacquer. We added an exact match Philco reproduction grille cloth and retained the original control knobs. The knobs, from left to right, are on/off/three-point tone control, band switch (center), fine/coarse tuning (upper middle) and volume (right). The result is this handsome looking radio that will last many, many years into the future.
Dial – The very stylish Art Deco Globe dial is quite an impressive sight - especially in a dim or dark room. The dial exhibits the broadcast scale at the bottom and two consecutive shortwave bands on top. As you select a band the ‘Glow Beam Indicator’ lights up the frequency you tune. The letters and number are very legible because the faceplate is a brand-new reproduction of the original. The Glow Beam Indicator light shields are original. The cabinet dial glass and free & clear of any chips, breaks or cracks. The surrounding brass escutcheon has been stripped and refinished to keep its like-new look well into the future.
Chassis – For its age there was no damage and only minimal, small spots of rust. We cleaned the steel chassis exterior and added rust inhibitor or paint to stop future corrosion. We went through the entire underside of the chassis replacing all the capacitors, checking, and replacing resistors and wires where needed. It now plays very well across the dial and all bands even with the simplest of antennas. All tubes were checked and replaced where needed with NOS (new old stock) tubes. We disassembled and lubricated the main tuning capacitor gears and concentric tuning mechanism for smooth tuning operation. A new power cord was installed for electrical safety and new silicone rubber chassis mounts were added for better vibration isolation. We added an Auxiliary input and switch on the back and aligned the radio for the Bluetooth adapter.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we had the all-original 5-1/4 inch speaker cleaned and reinforced. The result is clear audio across the entire audio frequency range. This radio produces exceptional bass tones for its size and the great sound will fill the room.
Bluetooth - Additionally, this radio has been fitted with our custom Bluetooth / MP3 adapter which allows you to switch between the radio or your smartphone or music device. Access your streaming audio service or the playlist on your smart device to provide classic tunes and bring the warm, bright, analogue sound to any music or recording you choose. The quality of the sound is excellent. You will have the best of “digital” and “analogue” combined.
Year of Manufacture: 1936/1937
Band Frequency Ranges:
AM Broadcast Band..............530 – 1720 kHz
Shortwave Band 1……………….2.3 – 7.4 MHz
Shortwave Band 2……………….7.35 – 22 MHz
Dimensions: 17"W x 13"H x 92"D
Weight: 22 pounds
See demo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRTp0WP6W4c