1. Airline was the brand name of Montgomery Ward's radio line. Airlines were 2nd only to Sears Silvertone in mail order sales. Airline sets were made by several companies for Wards, including Wells-Gardner, Davidson-Hayes and US Radio and TV Corp.
2. Bendix was a division of Bendix aviation during World War II, Bendix was a major supplier of radio related aircraft equipment for the British and American governments. Bendix was a late radio manufacturer. The company was established in 1937, Baltimore, MD. The Crosley company was founded in 1921 by Powel Crosley. He believed he should offer the consumer a good quality set at the lowest possible price. He called his sets the 'Model T's' of radios. In 1923 Crosley bought out Precision Equipment. The company enjoyed success until the late 1920's.
3. The Crosley company was founded in 1921 by Powel Crosley. He believed he should offer the consumer a good quality set at the lowest possible price. He called his sets the 'Model T's' of radios. In 1923 Crosley bought out Precision Equipment. The company enjoyed success until the late 1920's.
4. Deforest. Between 1900 and the end of World War I, Lee Deforest and his various companies produced much electrical equipment for the government. By 1922 the company was fully involved in the production of radio sets for the public. After many legal entanglements, the company was sold to RCA in 1933.
5. Emerson was founded in 1923. To keep prices low during the depression, they began to produce 'midget' radios and consistently geared their sales to lower income customers. Their marketing strategy worked and Emerson became one of the leaders in sales.
6. ERLA. The name ERLA is short for Electrical Research Laboratories. The company began in 1921 selling component parts and radio kits and by 1923 they were marketing complete sets. After much financial difficulty, ERLA was reorganized as Sentinel Radio Corp. in 1934.
7. FADA. Was named for its founder Frank Angelo D'Andrea. The company began business in 1920 with the production of crystal sets. Business expanded until the mid '20s, but over production and internal problems to their toll and by 1932 the company had been sold and the name changed to FADA Radio and Electrical Corp. FADA continued to produce radios through the mid 1940s and is probably best known for the FADA Bullet model number 1000, streamlined Catalin made in the '40s.
8. General Electric began making radios in 1919 and marketed them through RCA until 1930, when they started to use their own GE trademark on their sets.
9. Motorola was the brand name used by Galvin Manufacturing which was founded by Paul Galvin in 1928. Galvin started out making power supplies and then branched into auto and home radios, becoming one of the largest producers in the USA.
10. Philco was born in 1906 as the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company, a maker of car batteries and power supplies. In 1927, Philco made its first receivers and from there grew to be one of the largest of all wireless manufacturers. In late 1939, Philco came out with their new line of tabletop Transitone radios. In 1940 Philco also started making refrigerators and air conditioners for the homeowner.
11. RCA was formed in 1919 and soon became one of the largest distributors of radios. RCA was a pioneer of early broadcasting and began the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Their mascot 'Nipper' was featured in many logos listening at the horn of 'his master's voice.'
12. Sparton aka (Sparks-Withington) began making radios in 1926. Their introduction of Deco-styled radios in the 1930's made Spartons very popular among Deco collectors.
13. Stromberg-Carlson was formed in 1894 to produce telephone equipment. Soon they were making radio parts, and by 1923 they were making complete units. Stromberg Carlson was well known for its' commitment to quality, and its products often called the 'Rolls Royce' of radios.
14. Westinghouse sold its line through RCA until 1930-31. Westinghouse is well known for its slogan; 'You Can Be Sure if its a Westinghouse'.
15. Zenith began as Chicago Radio Labs in 1918. The name 'Zenith' came from the station call letters 9ZN of its founder Eugene McDonald. Zenith black dial sets of the 1930's are highly sought today. Some of my personal favorites are the 5-S-126, 5-S-12, 5-S-218, cube shaped radios.