Crystal Radio
Homemade by Kirby Austin
Dial by General Radio Co.
Circa 1920

In 1906, H.H.C. Dunwoody discovered that the very hard mineral carborundum would work as a simple radio receiver when placed between a pair of copper contacts with a thin wire (a "cat's whisker") over it for tuning. A small company began producing these crystal sets as a low-cost receiver for radio hobbyists. Because the crystal did not amplify the signal, the user also needed a large antenna and headphones.

Radio
Atwater-Kent
Philadelphia, PA
1923

Radio
Philco
1931

Philco released the cathedral style "Superhet 9" radio in June 1931.

Radio
Airline
1935

Airline art deco bakelite AM radio model no. 93BR-508A.

Radio
Detrola
1937

Detrola table radio with wood cabinet and bakelite knobs, model number 148.

Radio
Belmont
1939

The Belmont table model radio model no. 791B with wood cabinet features one broadcast band and one short-wave band.

Radio
Westinghouse
Circa 1960

After licensing transistor technology from Bell Labs, Texas Instruments worked to develop a consumer application - the pocket radio. In addition to replacing vacuum tubes with transistors, they redesigned many other parts to fit into a small case. The company introduced the new radios under the Regency brand name for Christmas, 1954.

The small radio was especially popular with teenagers for listening to rock and roll music so other companies also began producing them. Most came with an earpiece so, for the first time, people could listen to music or sports privately while in public places. The pocket transistor radio was the iPod of the 1950s and 1960s.

Radio
General Electric, model P-780B
Circa 1960

When designing its transistor radio, General Electric decided to emphasize durability and performance instead of small size. This radio uses 8 transistors and has larger speakers for better sound quality. It operates on 6 D batteries. Radio collectors consider it to be the best portable AM radio ever made.