Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

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Hyperion
Victor O
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Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by Hyperion »

It's not mine, and these are the only pictures I have, but if anyone can give me a make and model, I would appreciate it. I would guess it's late 1920's or early 1930's; the pickup is an RCA, but this is definitely not an RCA machine. Thanks!
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gramophone-georg
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by gramophone-georg »

Brunswick Panatrope with Radiola. Not sure on the model, though.
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Hyperion
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by Hyperion »

Thanks! How can you tell?

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gramophone-georg
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by gramophone-georg »

Hyperion wrote:Thanks! How can you tell?
Google up some pics and you'll see the cabinet, grille, phonograph, and tone arm designs. That tonearm design is Brunswick for sure, and many early RCA Radiolas with phono appeared in Brunswick machines, so it's not unusual that an RCA magnetic pickup would be used on an early machine either.

Plus, I own an Automatic Panatrope myself.
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Hyperion
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by Hyperion »

Actually, I just found out the escutcheon reads "Peerless," which answers one question but raises many others...

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gramophone-georg
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by gramophone-georg »

Hyperion wrote:Actually, I just found out the escutcheon reads "Peerless," which answers one question but raises many others...
Yes it does, because "Peerless" could have been the builder of the radio OR the builder of the cabinet as there was both a Peerless Radio Co. AND a Peerless Furniture Co. that also built highboy radio cabinets!

Maybe you've got a mystery. It sure LOOKS like a Panatrope, though.
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by Skihawx »

Doesn't look like an Brunswick to me. The radio is not from the RCA/Brunswick period.
There was a Peerless company that made headphones and speakers.

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gramophone-georg
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by gramophone-georg »

Skihawx wrote:Doesn't look like an Brunswick to me. The radio is not from the RCA/Brunswick period.
There was a Peerless company that made headphones and speakers.
Well, I'll withdraw my guess, then. Wonder what it is? It looks great whatever it is and it sure looks Brunswick to me!
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Hyperion
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Re: Can anyone identify this old radio/phonograph?

Post by Hyperion »

The chassis has a Peerless marking on it, too, so it's definitely the radio, not the cabinet. I didn't know Peerless made radios -- I thought they'd just made speakers. a Google image search brought up a similar-looking radio phonograph on radiomuseum -- a 1929 Peerless model 25:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/united10_20.html

But as for this one, the model remains a mystery, for now.

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