Originally Web posted 12 August 2001.
Content last modified Saturday, 9 January 2021 .

Unidentified Old Radios

Below are photos of two unrestored early 20th. century radios in my collection. (In fact, they are my collection). The views below can be clicked to see an enlarged version of the same picture.


Invincible Jr. overview Invincible Jr. front panel view Invincible Jr. rear panel view

The front panel dial plate shows “Invincible Jr.” and “Barker Bros.”, a renowned Los Angeles furniture store from the early 1900s. The label on the rear panel includes “Mfg. by Gilfillan Bros., Inc.”, as well as the usual RCA patent licensing disclaimers of the era.

Not visible in the rear panel photo is the number “524” stamped into the lower part of the rear apron.


"Arcturus" radio overview "Arcturus" radio front view "Arcturus" radio rear view

This unit has no maker’s marks - nor other visible chassis marks - whatsoever. Most of the tubes, which are mostly blue in color, are “Arcturus”. The paper labels on the tubes in the rear panel view say “To replace, phone Kemper Radio Corporation”. There is no visible telephone number.

There are almost no components on the underside of the receiver chassis. The tube sockets are stamped “Eby Mfg. Co.”. It is also possible to view a closeup of one of the Arcturus tubes with the photo modified to enhance visibility of the base text.

One early 2010 correspondent, who since i did not ask permission to post their writing publicly we’ll call Apis Mellifera, comments: “Without seeing it, I am 99% sure it is, or more accurately, used to be a Kemper K-6-7 "Kompak" dating to 1928.”


I also have an Admiral model 19A11 SN (chassis 19A1-6, serial #24430) 7" television (not pictured) that i hope to someday restore… even though i failed to do so before the discontinuance of NTSC broadcasting.Smiley face wearing a dunce cap.


Comments on any of this? Email me.