Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

ATWATER KENT RECEIVER

Date

1925

Materials

WOOD, STEEL, BRASS, GLASS, PAPER

No. Pieces

1

Height

16

Length

50

Width

14.5

Description

DARK FINISHED WOOD BOX WITH STEEL FRONT PANEL. TOP OF BOX HAS 9CM WIDE DOOR DOWN ENTIRE LENGTH OF RADIO FASTENED WITH TWO STEEL HINGES. SIDES OF BOX HAVE HALF-MOON SHAPE INDENTATIONS TO EASE ACCESS TO LID. FRONT PANEL IS HELD BY 8 BRASS STANDARD SCREWS. AT TOP CENTER IS OVAL BRASS PLAQUE WITH "ATWATER KENT" AND SCROLL WORK RAISED FROM ITS SURFACE. FAR RIGHT MIDDLE OF PANEL HAS 9.5 CM CIRCULAR BAKELITE BASE WITH TWO 4.OCM (D) BAKELITE KNOBS AND ONE BRASS PULL KNOB AT BOTTOM. TWO SMALLER KNOBS HAVE WHITE DOTS ON EDGE. ACROSS FRONT PANEL ARE THREE IDENTICAL BAKELITE KNOBS 8 CM (D). THEY ARE SINGLE PIECE FORMED AS WIDE BASE WITH RAISED KNOB 4.2 CM(D). WIDE BASE HAS WHITE ETCHED SCALE AND NUMBERING. AT TOP OF EACH BASE IS SMALL BRASS DIAMOND SHAPED TAB SET INTO PANEL. ALL THREE TURN BOTH DIRECTIONS 360 DEGREES. BETWEEN AND BELOW FIRST TWO KNOBS IS ONE SMALLER SWITCH KNOB. HAS CIRCULAR BASE 4.5 CM (D) AND 2.7CM (D) KNOB THAT CAN BE SET IN THREE POSITIONS. BRASS TAB EXTENDS FROM SIDE OF KNOB AND CONNECTS TO ONE OF THREE BRASS ELECTRODE ENDS SET INTO BASE. ALL KNOBS HAVE RIDGED EDGE PATTERN. STEEL GUIDE ARM IS ATTACHED TO LID AND INSIDE OF RADIO. ON INSIDE OF LID IS STEEL RECTANGULAR PLAQUE RIVETED TO WOOD. IT READS "ATWATER KENT RECEIVING SET MODEL 20 PHILA. PA. PATENTS PENDING" AND "USE ONLY 1/4 AMPERE TUBES SERIAL NUMBER 979762". AT CENTER OF PLAQUE IS RED CIRCLE WITH "AK" IN IT AND "MADE IN U.S.A." BENEATH IT. INSIDE OF RECEIVER ARE FIVE TUBES AND VARIOUS ELECTRONIC MATERIALS. ON BACK OF RADIO ARE FOUR HOLES WITH BRASS FITTINGS. TWO AT BOTTOM RIGHT, TWO AT BOTTOM LEFT. ABOVE BOTTOM RIGHT IS RIVETED PLAQUE WHICH READS "GROUND" AND "ANTENNA". ABOVE BOTTOM LEFT IS RIVETED PLAQUE WHICH READS "RADIO SPEAKER" AND "BLACK LEAD" AND "RED TRACE LEAD". FROM FAR LEFT HOLE EXTENDS BEIGE CLOTH COVERED CORD WHICH ENDS IN TWO BATTERY CLAMPS AND TWO TRI-PRONGED PLUGS. TWO PAPER TAGS ARE TIED TO CORD. ONE READS "C 4 1/2 VOLTS SMALL BATTERY" AND THE OTHER READS "C+ SMALL BATTERY". CLOTH COVERING IS FRAYING BADLY. BOTTOM HAS FOUR BAKELITE FEET RIVETED TO BASE. FRONT TWO HAVE WORE DOWN TO RIVETS. BOTTOM ALSO HAS PINK PAPER LABEL WHICH IS REGISTRATION PAPER FOR RADIO AND AT BOTTOM READS "FORM F 136, PRINTED IN U.S.A., OCTOBER, 1925". LABEL IS TORN AND DIRTY WITH PENCIL MARKINGS ON IT. ALSO HAS CLEAR PLASTIC DECAL WHICH READS "HENRY R. ANDERSON 2226 18 AVE S LETHBRIDGE ALBERTA T1K 1C8". BACK EDGE OF LID HAS CHIP WHICH HAS BEEN FINISHED OVER. FINISH IS CRACKLING ALL OVER RADIO.

Subjects

TELECOMMUNICATION T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

RECEIVER WAS MANUFACTURED IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. WAS COLLECTED AND RESTORED BY DONOR IN THE 1950'S. SEE PERMANENT RECORD FOR MORE INFO.

Catalogue Number

P19930075006

Acquisition Date

1993-12

Collection

Museum

Less detail