Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
April 1942. "Chicago, Illinois -- Negro business and professional men and women. William H. Green, owner of a radio and electrical store on 47th Street near Indiana Avenue. Mr. Green has been in the radio business for nine years, in the same store." Photo by Jack Delano for the Foreign Information Service of the U.S. Office of Coordinator of Information. View full size.
Russell Lee climbed to the roof of Mr. Green's shop for the photo Miracle Ham: 1941.
The fancier radios had a real wood chassis.
A backlighted front plate with radio stations from all over the world etched in. Want to tune in on the Beep? Press the short, medium or long wave button as needed, find "London" on the matching line on the front plate, turn the dial until the indicator was somewhere near "London" and then fine tune until the magic eye focuses.
Presto, "London calling".
Some places in Europe at the time you did not want turn up the volume too much, though.
Some fine examples of tabletop radios. The old tube sets have a much better sound in my opinion. I was enjoying listening to my Emerson "All American Five" AM radio today ... a superheterodyne receiver, made in America and using five tubes.
I'll take all the Fada catalins you have Mr. Green. They'll be gold in 80 years.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5