BEAUTIFUL Art Deco 1939 Rabbit Belmont 519 Bakelite AM Tube Radio Works!
DIMENSIONS: Approximately 10" x 5.5" x 6.5" (l x w x h)
COLOR: Ivory painted bakelite, slightly yellowed evenly
DESCRIPTION: If you're looking for an investment quality radio, this is it. These early Belmonts are hard to find in any condition, let alone in almost mint condition like this one. The design screams Art Deco industrial age. Tabletop tube radio manufactured by Belmont in the late thirties early forties timeframe still in excellent+ working condition. Picks up AM stations clearly and loudly up and down the dial without external antenna attachment. I was able to pick up all the AM stations loudly and clearly. Excellent post war industrial design! Cabinet is in excellent condition with no cracks, splits, or seams, abrasions, major scratches or missing pieces. The knobs are a ivory color plaskon or catalin. The front grill gold fabric is in pristine condition looking clean and shiny and taut! The dial faces in good condition. The preset buttons work fine and all present and securely attached! This radio is over 65 years old! Dial light was replaced with a new one and lights up brightly. All the dial numbering and lettering is crisp and clear. The original knobs are securely attached and won't fall off. The tuning dial works fine. All out of spec capacitors have been replaced with modern equivalents so this radio has another 50+ years or more of playing time! The tubes are working fine. All out-of-spec resistors have been replaced with modern correct value and voltage equivalents. The power cord and plug are good supple original working condition with no cracks, or splits or electrical tape repair. No exposed wiring. The radio has been thoroughly cleaned and inspected. All wiring has been thoroughly checked for possible bridging and weak solder connection. Comes from non-smoking, mature, clean professional environment no pets. When this radio was new, Harry S Truman was president! This thing belongs in a museum!
SHIPPING: I make best effort to package all my items carefully using industry standard packing materials; styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap, foam sleeves, or a combination of any or all these (depending on the item). I insure every package for the full purchase price. If any damage occurs during shipping, I will be happy to give you a full refund including your shipping paid. Shipping and handling charges are estimates only. There are no refunds on overpaid shipping amounts. Please bid accordingly. There are no warranties on the items.
OPERATION: These old tube radios are better sounding than solid state audio devices, in my opinion. Nothing beats high voltages and heat in generating a warm organic sound that seems to fill the room. By comparison, solid state or digital seems to just approximate this effect. It's for this reason that the highest quality audio equipment and amplifiers used by musicians today are still based heavily on vacuum tubes. Not surprisingly, rewards come with risks. Old vacuum tube technology until the sixties operate at high voltage and high heat compared to solid state electronics prevalent from sixties onward. Furthermore, these old designs are 'hot-grounded' to the AC line as opposed to the third prong "cold" ground. Most of the radios made in the forties were wired point-to-point which meant inconsistencies during manufacture. Never put your hands inside one of these old radios when it's turned on or plugged in. Never leave these radios turned on for an extended period of time unattended. Do not operate these devices on a metal table. Do not operate these radios on a wet surface. If the surface underneath one of these radios gets wet, pull out the plug before turning it off and dry everything off before attempting to turn it back on. For best performance, do not operate this radio near a modern electronic device; computer, microwave, home security, fluorescent light, etc. You will hear a constant humming or whining. All vacuum tubes take some time to warm up, no more than 30 sec to a minute at the most.The radio listed in this auction is restored only, not refurbished. With the right care and proper use, it should provide a (another!) lifetime of use. Great for décor, a conversation piece, etc. They getting more collectible and increasing in value too. Besides, everyone already has an fancy stereo, iPod or MP3 player!
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