1950s Battery Valve Portables - Misconceptions?

[Robert Darwent]

I've been prompted to start this thread after reading David's comment in post #2 of the recent VIDOR My Queen Margaret thread.

David's reply includes the sentence "As to value, battery portables from the 50s aren't highly sought after". I come across this sort of comment quite often in various vintage radio magazines and related forums and believe it to be a popular misconception.

Whilst I agree that attache case models, like the Lady Margaret, only command relatively small prices, there are many highly sought after models that fetch a very high price that are largely overlooked or are simply unknown to the average vintage radio collector.

Some examples from GB manufacturers of the 50s that I own;

The Bush MB60
   

and its rarer sister export sets, the EBM60 and ETR82
       

The Vidor Vanguard
   

The Ever Ready Sky Emperor and export version Berec Commander
       

The last three sets all have VHF-FM band coverage. Unfortunately they are the only three models to have been produced over here, to obtain further examples of battery valve sets with VHF one has to turn to European manufacturers of the period. Again some models that I own;

The Philips LD562AB Colette
   

The many Philips Annette models, the L4D90AB and LD471AB shown here
       

The Akkord Transola Lux 59
   

[Robert Darwent]

All the above sets typically fetch prices well into three figures, depending on condition of course.

I now have approaching two dozen sets in my collection that fall into the VHF battery valve portable category. The last such set that I acquired, and still awaiting my attention, was the following;

The Grundig UKW Concert Boy 59
                   

It is a substantial set, weighing a little over 17 lbs or just under 8 kg. The dimensions are 16.9 x 9.8 x 7.1 inch or 430 x 250 x 180 mm.

The 59 model shown here, makes use of 9 valves - DF97 DF97 DK96 DF97 DF97 DF97 DAF96 DL96 EL95. Interestingly, the set has two output valves which are switched in or out of circuit depending upon whether the set is being operated via battery (DL96) or the mains (EL95).

Any UKW Concert Boy model commands a high price and are much sought after. These sets regularly make £300 to £500 on eBay.de with those in a poorer condition still fetching £100 to £150. Consequently, I was very pleased to be one of the rare exceptions when I obtained this good example for a little under £65.

I hope this little insight into these types of set will help dispel some of the commonly held beliefs regarding 1950s battery valve portables. In fact the Concert Boy's and related sets are some of the most technically challenging models to work on considering they pack all the functionality of a large table model into a relatively compact size.

Regards

[pwdrive]

Didn't Pye do a post war portable that is highly collectable?

I guess the low value of the more common ones is down to the numbers that have survived, supply and demand and all that.

Lawrence.

[pwdrive]

The Zenith Transoceanic is highly prized especially the "Clipper" and "Bomber" models, the Transoceanic's I beleive were mains or battery, got to give to the yanks for receiver names.

Lawrence.

[AlanBeckett]

Lawrence,
M78F. I've seen complete wrecks go for 3 figures.
There's also a Black Bakelite one whose number escapes me at the moment which goes for the upper 10s.
The ordinary little Attache/Jewell Case ones are peanuts.

Alan

[AlanBeckett]

P55MBQ was the Black one.

Alan

[pwdrive]

Lawrence,
M78F. I've seen complete wrecks go for 3 figures.
There's also a Black Bakelite one whose number escapes me at the moment which goes for the upper 10s.
The ordinary little Attache/Jewell Case ones are peanuts.

Alan

Yes that could be the one, likewise, seen a couple on Ebay over the years go for a lot of money.

Lawrence.

[Robert Darwent]

I guess the low value of the more common ones is down to the numbers that have survived, supply and demand and all that.

Yes that certainly has a lot to do with it. All the more sought after sets only surface on places like eBay once or twice a year perhaps, whilst the many attache case models are ever present.

If you're not aware, by collecting a specific category of 50s battery valve portable as I myself do, the average collector forms the impression that all valve portables of the period are common and therefore of low value.

As I've already mentioned, the niche area of 1950s VHF battery valve portables, offer some of the most sought after and technically challenging models to be had.

The models are from that period of the 1950s decade when VHF broadcasting first began to the widespread replacement of battery valves by transistors, 1953 to 1959 roughly, so each specific model wasn't produced in vast numbers. Plus another limiting factor at the time was that they were expensive to purchase.

They really were technical marvels of the time, packing into a small space all the circuitry and functionality offered by large table models offering VHF-FM. As such they are something quite different and very special when compared to the lowly attache case set.

Here are a few more of the VHF battery portables I have;

The Schaub-Lorenz Camping 9147
   

The Telefunken Bajazzo 56 and 58 models
       

The Akkord Pinguin U58 and U59d models
       

The Schaub Weekend 57U
   

The Nora Noraphon-Ultra
   

The Philips Annette LD462AB
   

Regards

[pwdrive]

Robert, what was the the most common valve used in the VHF tuning section of these receivers?

Lawrence.

[Robert Darwent]

Hi Lawrence,

Without exception, the valve used in the VHF tuner is either a DC90 or a DF97. The DC90 is more commonly used in the earlier models from 1953 to around 1956 but it can be either.

Regards