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Thread: Identify the Radiogram from 1950s

  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

    Default Identify the Radiogram from 1950s

    Here's a challenge especially for the wrinklies on this forum!

    I wonder if anyone can identify this radiogram from the 1950s. The picture is of my parents taken in the late 50's I think. I think this was their first (rented) flat when they moved to London so cannot be held (fully) accountable for the 1950's decor.

    My father was a music enthusiast and an early adopter of his time. He had a Grundig portable R2R with the "magic eye" and one of the first Philips cassette recorders (the one with the central rectangular block that pushed up, down, left and right to move the tape and play).

    The sound from the radiogram was pretty good IIRC. The turntable was on the right of the unit behind a drop down panel. Pretty sure it was a Garrard autochanger. I am guessing it was one of the good brands of the time.

    Would be fantastic to id it, especially from this partial print. It was a dark wood, darker than rosewood BTW.

    Geoff

    Parents.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

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    I'm Grant.

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    Great picture.. Hard to say really, and a bit before my time. Maybe Magnavox, or Grundig. they were similar styles and fairly common Nice bit of Bakelite edging
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  3. #3
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

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    My recollection was that it was a Grundig (brand loyalty and all that).

    On a related note, he also had a Long John transistor radio. About 80% of the size of a boxed spirit bottle (70cl). Took a big bugger of a battery probably a PP9 but it seemed bigger as a kid!

    Geoff

  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: Co. Durham

    Posts: 1,966
    I'm Stephen.

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    I'd say a Ferguson (or HMV). Both used the same cream and gold type knob and styling:



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  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: North West UK

    Posts: 214
    I'm Dave.

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    The Turntable could be a bsr. At this time, garrard, decca , bsr, were common. Different makes like Grundig, Baird, Hmv, ferguson, used bought in turntables as well as own badged. I think garrard were more expensive, and bsr were budget. May be difficult to correctly identify.

  6. #6
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SquireC View Post
    The Turntable could be a bsr. At this time, garrard, decca , bsr, were common. Different makes like Grundig, Baird, Hmv, ferguson, used bought in turntables as well as own badged. I think garrard were more expensive, and bsr were budget. May be difficult to correctly identify.
    The turntable looked very similar to the one in the picture above from Mr Kipling. On our radiogram it was on the right hand side (the bit that can seen in the photo). I have an idea that it was a Garrard autochanger. At the time of purchase my parents were DINKY's. I am sure my father would have done some background research before buying and gone for the better unit. It would have been bought in London.

    Geoff

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: Co. Durham

    Posts: 1,966
    I'm Stephen.

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    The turntable is a BSR:

    We had one like this with the same deck:
    ]

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  8. #8
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Kipling View Post
    The turntable is a BSR:

    We had one like this with the same deck:
    ]

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    I stand corrected. Having done a bit of googling it was clearly a BSR (dark cream in colour). The cabinet colouring was very similar to this one. Is it a Ferguson?

    Geoff

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: Co. Durham

    Posts: 1,966
    I'm Stephen.

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    Aye...

    My Mother replaced our Ferguson with a Alba with Garrard deck and an 8" elliptical speaker. Didn't sound as good as the Ferguson, which had an 8" diameter speaker and open back. The speaker was closed in on the Alba. Always disappointed with the sound of it after the Ferguson.

    Have a look on e-bay for the 621 radio pictured. Has FM and sounds like you're back in the 50s/60s. Great for Radio 4.

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    Last edited by Mr Kipling; 16-05-2017 at 20:02.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

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    My parents had a radiogram from the sixties, there was a certain smell from stuff of that era, my little Dansette smelled the same. When my mum got a Technics separates system ( which I still have in the bedroom ) my Step father turned the radiogram into a cocktail cabinet, at least it didn't just go to the tip.
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

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