True Colors True Tone Travler!
Never Before Seen Color Combo!
Travler was a small manufacturer back in the day. Like their bigger industry cousins, GE, Emerson, Motorola, and RCA, Travler was also vying for a piece of the action in post war consumer electronics market.
The 1959 port hole model was a rare design from Travler. Usually found in turquoise and white, harvest gold, charcoal and white, and pink and red ("Valentines Day"), a gray and harvest gold with red knobs like this one is truly rare. This color combination has not been found any where else on any radio known from any manufacturer.
This particular one is in immaculate condition. Often these Travler port hole models have front grill section that have come loose or chips and cracks along the huge expanse of unsupported plastic. Not this one! This one has no cracks no chips and no major scratches. The front grill is securely attached like the day it left the factory!
The clock switches are original and matching and nicely yellowed to a shade that is consistent with its age.
The clock movement is a Telechron, probably the most commonly found movement among these clock radios of the day. It works well, keeps accurate time, is quiet, and easy to operate. If the motor seizes or if one of the brass switch posts breaks off, the repairs can get challenging. The movement does not need any regular maintenance.
How can I be so sure these are factory original colors? Look at these interior mount pins. Do they look tampered with to you?
Factory original under sides too:
The 60 year clean coat of dust a thing of beauty. I couldn't bring myself to clean it! It would be far too easy for me to fix this radio, clean and polish it, than it would be to recreate this even deposition of human, animal and insect detritus that took over a half a century to develop. You can call me crazy.
All original tubes say "Travler" except for the amp tube 50C5 which is a GE. This radio is a hummer because of the dried out filter capacitor. I left it as-is. I couldn't bring myself to "fix" this radio. It was perfect just the way it is. Again, crazy time.
Could these red knobs be a replacement from another Travler like from the Valentine's Day model? Possible, but not likely considering the originality of everything else on this radio. See this lovely waxy muck under the knobs? At last, outta control:
Nice looking backing board shows this radio was stored some place dry and out of direct sunlight for decades.
Nice bottom shot shows all nice original factory labels. Sweet!
Here's a couple beauty shots with Travler brethren in different color combos:
Pictured here with its more commonly found turquoise and white cohort with gold pot metal trim. Here's a rare Travler pink and red version, the "Valentines Day" port hole model.
Here's one on all harvest gold color combo. This one under the Travler brand.
Here's a rare charcoal and white version with the pot metal trim:
So is the gray, gold, red mongrel for sale you ask?
Everything at Retro Radio Farm is for sale!
But not this one
Yet...