& 1923 Atwater Kent Radiodyne Breadboard Radio With Modifications
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:29704694 | Type: Model 4 Breadboard |
| Brand: Atwater Kent |
"A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma"
That's how Winston Churchill described Russia during a radio broadcast in 1939, and that's what comes to mind as I look over this unusual Atwater Kent breadboard, which clearly is many things -- all of them related yet distinct.
As you can see from the serial number on the "A" series tag, the supplemental wiring holes visible on the underside of the board, and the early Type F tuning condensers, this breadboard began life i...n 1923 (right around this time of year) as a Radiodyne. Then at some point, perhaps because one or both of AF transformers failed, the TA island was replaced with an island from a 1924 breadboard, probably a 4560 (10-A) or possibly a 4340 (10). Later (or maybe at the same time; we'll never know), the three RF transformers, one or more of which might have come unwound, were replaced with transformers from a 10-B breadboard. At that point, the transformation was complete, and the result is what I'm offering today: a Radiodyne/10-A/10-B breadboard.
Why would someone mix and match like that? Well, the most obvious explanation would be that someone wanted a working radio, and if you want a working radio, you do what you have to do to get one. In this case, the effort paid off. The radio does indeed work -- purists be damned.
Condition overall is very good. Clean, glossy bakelite everywhere, with no chips, no cracks, no haziness, no issues. Board finish is original, with a topcoat of varnish. The Type F tuning condensers also have a topcoat of varnish. Textured paint on the TA island is original and in very good condition. RF transformers are in excellent condition, with pristine coils that exhibit no water or grease stains. Wiring on the underside of the board is mostly original, except of course for alterations that were made to accommodate the orthogonal RF transformers. The board is undamaged, and the end caps are neither warped nor pulling away from the main section of the board.
Potting tar inside the TA island is original, and the original AF transformers are good.
All five tubes are good.
The radio has been tested, and it still works. If you want to power it up, you'll need a good regulated DC power supply (I'd recommend an ARBEIII), a longwire outdoor antenna (ham radio type -- at least 100 feet long and 20 feet above the ground), a ca. 1920's horn loudspeaker, and some understanding of the basic tuning principles of a 1920's battery radio. Unlike later AC sets, breadboards do not plug into a wall outlet. They need to be connected to a multi-voltage power supply, and their components need to be adjusted precisely and patiently in order to tune a broadcast.
When you've finished checking out my ebay listings this week, take a look at my TechnoGallerie website, where you can buy hard-to-find antique phonographs, antique radios, antique cameras and other gadgets you're not likely to see anywhere else. New arrivals include an exceptionally nice 1905 Victor D phonograph with an original Victor spear tip horn and an uncommon 1921 Hatfield Senior interpanel radio made in Indianapolis, Indiana. Just type TechnoGallerie in the address line of your web browser and hit the enter key. TechnoGallerie has a newsletter, too, and if you take a second to sign up for it, you'll receive an email update whenever I list something new on the site -- typically once a week.
That's about it. I will pack everything carefully and properly, and I can assure you that it will show up at your doorstep in the same fine condition in which its leaves mine. I have been shipping antique phonographs and radios for years, and if you check my feedback, you'll see that I know how to do it correctly.
00848
That's how Winston Churchill described Russia during a radio broadcast in 1939, and that's what comes to mind as I look over this unusual Atwater Kent breadboard, which clearly is many things -- all of them related yet distinct.
As you can see from the serial number on the "A" series tag, the supplemental wiring holes visible on the underside of the board, and the early Type F tuning condensers, this breadboard began life i...n 1923 (right around this time of year) as a Radiodyne. Then at some point, perhaps because one or both of AF transformers failed, the TA island was replaced with an island from a 1924 breadboard, probably a 4560 (10-A) or possibly a 4340 (10). Later (or maybe at the same time; we'll never know), the three RF transformers, one or more of which might have come unwound, were replaced with transformers from a 10-B breadboard. At that point, the transformation was complete, and the result is what I'm offering today: a Radiodyne/10-A/10-B breadboard.
Why would someone mix and match like that? Well, the most obvious explanation would be that someone wanted a working radio, and if you want a working radio, you do what you have to do to get one. In this case, the effort paid off. The radio does indeed work -- purists be damned.
Condition overall is very good. Clean, glossy bakelite everywhere, with no chips, no cracks, no haziness, no issues. Board finish is original, with a topcoat of varnish. The Type F tuning condensers also have a topcoat of varnish. Textured paint on the TA island is original and in very good condition. RF transformers are in excellent condition, with pristine coils that exhibit no water or grease stains. Wiring on the underside of the board is mostly original, except of course for alterations that were made to accommodate the orthogonal RF transformers. The board is undamaged, and the end caps are neither warped nor pulling away from the main section of the board.
Potting tar inside the TA island is original, and the original AF transformers are good.
All five tubes are good.
The radio has been tested, and it still works. If you want to power it up, you'll need a good regulated DC power supply (I'd recommend an ARBEIII), a longwire outdoor antenna (ham radio type -- at least 100 feet long and 20 feet above the ground), a ca. 1920's horn loudspeaker, and some understanding of the basic tuning principles of a 1920's battery radio. Unlike later AC sets, breadboards do not plug into a wall outlet. They need to be connected to a multi-voltage power supply, and their components need to be adjusted precisely and patiently in order to tune a broadcast.
When you've finished checking out my ebay listings this week, take a look at my TechnoGallerie website, where you can buy hard-to-find antique phonographs, antique radios, antique cameras and other gadgets you're not likely to see anywhere else. New arrivals include an exceptionally nice 1905 Victor D phonograph with an original Victor spear tip horn and an uncommon 1921 Hatfield Senior interpanel radio made in Indianapolis, Indiana. Just type TechnoGallerie in the address line of your web browser and hit the enter key. TechnoGallerie has a newsletter, too, and if you take a second to sign up for it, you'll receive an email update whenever I list something new on the site -- typically once a week.
That's about it. I will pack everything carefully and properly, and I can assure you that it will show up at your doorstep in the same fine condition in which its leaves mine. I have been shipping antique phonographs and radios for years, and if you check my feedback, you'll see that I know how to do it correctly.
00848
