This classic Art Deco radio is the 1937 Philco 37-610B Baby Grand tombstone radio. It has a premium grade five-tube, 3-Watt output chassis. This flat-top Baby Grand features authentic reproductions of light golden-toned butt walnut, gorgeous burl walnut, and straight grained American Walnut. A striking contrast is afforded by the dark-toned base molding and surrounding trim.
History - The Philco model 37-610 series (1936-37) is the follow-on of the model 610 series (1936), and uses a similar 5-tube 3-band chassis, but with updated octal tubes and different band coverage (BC, 2.3-7.4 MHz, and 7.35-22 MHz). There are five specific models in the series with different cabinet styles.
This model is the early version 37-610B Baby Grand tombstone radio for the 1937 model year. It was introduced in June of 1936 with a retail price of $42.50 and about 68,000 were sold. These entry-level Baby Grands made extensive use of FAUX grain on their fascia. Faux grain is essentially a printed pattern used to replicate the appearance of the genuine exotic veneers found on some of the more expensive sets of the day. The idea was valiant in its conception but fell short in practice, as the finish weathered the rigors of time poorly and even when new, fooled practically nobody. Today, the finish on many of these sets is badly deteriorated and poses a challenge for restoration. Luckily, this set's finish was basically good. Everything got a full restoration and upgrade.
Cabinet – For the most part we were able to save the original front face. We stripped and completely restored the walnut sides and top. The front piping pin stripes and footer are toned and the entire cabinet sealed with a flat statin 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. We kept the original amber dial which 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 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 – Code 121. 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 to the back and aligned the radio for the Bluetooth adapter.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we had the all-original 5 ¼ -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: 13.25” W x 17.75” H x 9.25” D
Weight: 22 pounds
Watch video demo on YouTube here: youtu.be/QEjOuBhE9YE
History - The Philco model 37-610 series (1936-37) is the follow-on of the model 610 series (1936), and uses a similar 5-tube 3-band chassis, but with updated octal tubes and different band coverage (BC, 2.3-7.4 MHz, and 7.35-22 MHz). There are five specific models in the series with different cabinet styles.
This model is the early version 37-610B Baby Grand tombstone radio for the 1937 model year. It was introduced in June of 1936 with a retail price of $42.50 and about 68,000 were sold. These entry-level Baby Grands made extensive use of FAUX grain on their fascia. Faux grain is essentially a printed pattern used to replicate the appearance of the genuine exotic veneers found on some of the more expensive sets of the day. The idea was valiant in its conception but fell short in practice, as the finish weathered the rigors of time poorly and even when new, fooled practically nobody. Today, the finish on many of these sets is badly deteriorated and poses a challenge for restoration. Luckily, this set's finish was basically good. Everything got a full restoration and upgrade.
Cabinet – For the most part we were able to save the original front face. We stripped and completely restored the walnut sides and top. The front piping pin stripes and footer are toned and the entire cabinet sealed with a flat statin 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. We kept the original amber dial which 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 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 – Code 121. 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 to the back and aligned the radio for the Bluetooth adapter.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we had the all-original 5 ¼ -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: 13.25” W x 17.75” H x 9.25” D
Weight: 22 pounds
Watch video demo on YouTube here: youtu.be/QEjOuBhE9YE