Not currently on display at the V&A

EKCO UAW78

Radio
1938 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Mains radio receiver. Vertical Bakelite cabinet with mottled brown finish. The main body of the cabinet is tall and slender, with rounded edges at the front. The moulding on both sides consists of a wide protruding vertical band with rounded edges at the top and bottom. Both of these wide bands are set back from the front face of the cabinet. The front of the cabinet has two large, circular segments, one above the other, and identical in size. The upper circle consists of a cutaway loudspeaker aperture, containing within it a narrow, parallel, circular plastic rib decoration. The loudspeaker is covered with gold and brown woven fabric. The lower cirle has a semi-circular cutaway tuning scale window at its top with printed lettering in yellow, green, white and red, on a black ground. The lower half of this circle is recessed, its face having a finely-textured surface. Set into the lower segment, at its centre, is a large, circular control knob; below it, and in line, are two smaller knobs.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleEKCO UAW78 (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Compression-moulded Bakelite, fabric
Brief description
English; 1938; Ekco UAW78
Physical description
Mains radio receiver. Vertical Bakelite cabinet with mottled brown finish. The main body of the cabinet is tall and slender, with rounded edges at the front. The moulding on both sides consists of a wide protruding vertical band with rounded edges at the top and bottom. Both of these wide bands are set back from the front face of the cabinet. The front of the cabinet has two large, circular segments, one above the other, and identical in size. The upper circle consists of a cutaway loudspeaker aperture, containing within it a narrow, parallel, circular plastic rib decoration. The loudspeaker is covered with gold and brown woven fabric. The lower cirle has a semi-circular cutaway tuning scale window at its top with printed lettering in yellow, green, white and red, on a black ground. The lower half of this circle is recessed, its face having a finely-textured surface. Set into the lower segment, at its centre, is a large, circular control knob; below it, and in line, are two smaller knobs.
Dimensions
  • Height: 48.5cm
  • Width: 35cm
  • Depth: 23.5cm
Production typeMass produced
Object history
Purchased by the Circulation Department from Norman Jackson, in 1977 [77/1400]. On entry to the Museum its condition was described as 'good'.
Bibliographic reference
Hogben, Carol, The Wireless Show!: 130 classic radio receivers, 1920s to 1950s, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1977
Other number
013335 - serial number
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.47-1977

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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