08 I found an EtherSnarf model YU4Q radio at an estate auction and got it for $125. Did I get rooked?...
Description
This article is from the Antique Radios And Phonographs FAQ, by Hank van Cleef vancleef@netcom with numerous contributions by others.
08 I found an EtherSnarf model YU4Q radio at an estate auction and got it for $125. Did I get rooked?...
...It looks complete, has ten tubes and a
big oak cabinet with spool legs and lots of gewgaws, and has four
shortwave bands. I don't find it listed in any old radio buyers'
guide.
First of all, keep in mind that there were literally hundreds of
radio manufacturers in the US in the 1920-1960 era, and there were some
manufactures who built "trade" radios to be sold under a store's brand
name. Part 3 of this FAQ will help you figure out when this radio was
built, even if it isn't listed in any of the buyers' manuals or in any
of the maintenance manuals that were published at the time.
What an old radio is actually worth depends on many things. First of
all, what is it worth to you? While there is supposedly a market out
there, what a specific radio is actually worth is, in reality, what
someone is willing to pay to buy it from you. You want to keep in
mind the following:
a. The radio may need a lot of work before it will
operate as it was designed to operate.
b. Most radios were "lo-fi" in modern terms. Many of us
actually enjoy the sound, and many of the consoles, cathedrals, and
tombstones were tuned very nicely to the programs sources of the day.
c. While the number of tubes may give some indication of the
quality of the radio, and a big console cabinet is more likely to house
a good radio than a plastic table cabinet, keep in mind that "number of
tubes" and "big cabinet" both were selling points in the 1930-50 era
that meant "high retail price." Some mid-priced consoles look as though
they have a lot more radio in them than they do.
Some people swear by the Bunis "Collectors' Guide to Old Radios" series
written by Marty and Sue Bunis. Others do not feel that their prices
are particularly supportable when trying to sell. Most collectors do
not buy for resale, and buy because they want the item.
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