RADIO

Description: BODY OF RADIO IS MADE OF BAKELITE. EXTERIOR IS BLUE. SIDES OF RADIO ARE ROUNDED. FRONT OF RADIO HAS AN OFF-WHITE BAKELITE DIAL THAT CAN BE TURNED TO RAISED NUMBERS ON A GOLD BACKGROUND. NUMBERS INCLUDE "53", "60", "70", "90", "12", "15" & "17". BELOW DIAL IS A SMALLER OFF-WHITE BAKELITE KNOB (POWER AND VOLUME). EMBOSSED ON FRONT OF RADIO IS "NORTHERN MIDGE ELECTRIC". BACK OF RADIO HAS A HEAVY CARDBOARD BACKING. PRINTED ON BACKING IN YELLOW IS "NORTHERN ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED MODEL 5508" . . ."MADE IN CANADA" "DISCONNECT SUPPLY CORD BEFORE MOVING BACK". ALSO PRINTED ON BACKING IN BLACK IS "ERDMAN" AND "3484". THERE IS ALSO A STICKER ON BACK THAT READS "POWER OPERATED RADIO". BACKING IS TORN AT TOP AND HAS WATERMARKS THROUGHOUT. INNER WORKINGS OF RADIO ARE VIXIBLE THROUGH 7 LARGE HOLES IN BACKING. THERE IS A BROWN ELECTRICAL CORD OUT BACK OF RADIO.

History: DONOR BELIEVES HE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED RADIO AT LOCAL EATONS STORE AS A GIFT FOR HIS FATHER, GUSTAV ERDMAN, IN THE 1960S. HIS FATHER WAS SUFFERING FROM POOR HEALTH, DUE TO PARKISONS DISEASE, AND ENJOYED LISTENING TO THE NEWS OVER THE RADIO. GUSTAV GAVE THE RADIO BACK TO DONOR IN 1968. DONOR USED THE RADIO FREQUENTLY, BUT WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING HE ACQUIRED A NEW ONE AND KEPT THIS ONE FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS BEFORE DONATING IT TO MUSEUM. RADIO WAS USED AND DISPLAYED ON TOP OF A BOOKCASE IN DONOR'S LIVING ROOM.