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A Beautiful and Big Table Radio with Police-Amateur and Shortwave Bands, made by the Canadian Marconi Company in 1936, in almost Perfect Condition
In a Nutshell
First of Four "Toppled Tombstone" Radios with Oval Dial for Sale
Introduction:
Guglielmo Marconi himself, after successfully sending a message across the Atlantic in 1901, founded the "Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company of Canada" in 1903. In 1925 the company was renamed Canadian Marconi Company (CMC). A brief history of CMC can be found in ref.1 below.
The milestones are summarized on the website of still existing CMC (see ref.2), including reception S.S. Titanic’s distress signal by Marconi Wireless in 1912, start of radio production in 1921, and
establishment of the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) in
1931. Not many of Marconi's pre-1940 radio models are documented, including this 1936 model 79 (now in radiomuseum.org, ref.3). The striking features of this radio are its beautiful reverse-lit glass dial with covering convex glass lens and its rounded-off edges all around. Shortwave station finding is made easy by a gear-reducing fine-tuning knob.
Additional information:
ref.1. http://www.jproc.ca/marconi/history.html
ref.2. http://www.cmcelectronics.ca/cmc-electronics-history.aspx
ref.3. http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/canadia_ma_79.html
For the techies only:
The radio uses 2 Mallory bias cells (pict.21). This are small devices, which function like a low power battery, and supply negative bias to tube grids, without necessitating a separate power supply. These cells work with electrolytes and normally have dried out, but can be rejuvenated, by boiling them for about one minute in water, slowly cooling them down to room temperature still immersed in water, and resealing them. This should last for at least another 10 years.
About my radio:
The radio is essentially in the condition I bought it at an auction here in Vancouver. The cabinet is not refinished and looks like new except a little wear around the tuning knobs (pict.13). The chassis has been cleaned, a few capacitors replaced as necessary, the bias cells rejuvenated (see techies) and the radio in-depth serviced, by treating all moving parts with contact spray. The radio plays loud and clear on AM/BC with good sensitivity and selectivity, the two other bands are working as well. Please e-mail me (Kris) for any questions or comments, ich spreche Deutsch, je parle Français.
Here are the specifications:
Technical Description of Item |
| Manufacturer |
Canadian Marconi Company, Montreal |
| Model |
79 |
| Type |
5-tube 3-band table radio |
| Production Year |
1936 |
| Serial Number |
92520 |
| Cabinet |
Walnut wood |
| Dial |
Reverse painted glass dial, convex glass dial lens |
| Knobs |
4 (5) wooden knobs |
| Frequency Range |
BC/AM: 540-1630 kHz, Amateur: 1.6 - 6 MHz, SW: 5 - 16 MHz |
| Controls |
On/off - tone, tuning (coarse-fine), volume, band selector |
| Tube line-up |
6A8 (Conv.), 6K7 (IF), 6Q7 (Det.Amp.), 6F6 (Audio), 80 (Rect.) |
| Size (WxDxH) |
21 " x 10 " x 11 ", speaker 8" Magnavox 6-221 |
| Weight |
27 lbs = 12.3 kg |
| Comment |
Excellent condition, serviced, perfectly working |
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