Philco Model 47-240 Radio (1947)

Have you ever bought a radio just because of its back? When I spotted this radio at a swap meet. I sort of liked the brown leatherette cabinet on this set, but it was pretty dingy overall, and nothing about the radio gave me that "must have" feeling.

On the other hand, at $5 the price was right. Still, I had passed it by more than once in the course of cruising around the swap meet. Then, on about my fifth orbit, I happened to pick up this radio and peer at the back. The "must have" light switched on and I handed over my $5.

As you can see from the rear view, Philco used its name to form the vent openings in the back cover. A charming idea, and the simple, stencil-like characters give the back a vaguely Deco appearance. (By the way, the letters aren't actually white, as they appear in this photo. I just stuck a piece of paper inside to make them clearly visible.)

Inside the cabinet is a conventional "All American Five" tube radio, with 3574, 50L6GT, 14A7, 7A8, and 14B6 tubes.

In the Bunis collector guide (3rd edition), you can see an almost identical set, the Model 48-206 from 1948. It's the same radio, with brown leatherette cabinet, ivory grille and knobs, and sunburst dial. But the cabinet edges are rounded, giving it a more streamlined appearance.