Utility

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Not on display

Artist/Maker	Murphy Radio Ltd. (manufacturer) Reynolds, G.D. (Dr) (designer)
Place of origin	Welwyn Garden City (made)

A rectangular, vertical wooden cabinet; at the top of the loudspeaker aperture is covered with a rectangular section of coarse fabric. Fluted wooden upright on the right and left hand side; small rectangular plastic tuning scale beneath the loudspeaker and above two plastic controls knobs. On the base is attached a revolving circular disc to assist easy rotation of the receiver. Mains operated, medium waveband only.

Object details

Categories	Household Objects Electrical Appliances Audio Equipment
Object type	Receiver
Titles	Utility (popular title) Industry (popular title)
Materials and techniques	Pinewood Pine
Brief description	radio, mains operated; English, 1943-4
Physical description	A rectangular, vertical wooden cabinet; at the top of the loudspeaker aperture is covered with a rectangular section of coarse fabric. Fluted wooden upright on the right and left hand side; small rectangular plastic tuning scale beneath the loudspeaker and above two plastic controls knobs. On the base is attached a revolving circular disc to assist easy rotation of the receiver. Mains operated, medium waveband only.
Dimensions	Height: 35.5cm Width: 30.4cm Depth: 17.5cm
Style	Utility
Production type	Mass produced
Gallery label	(01/01/1992) Room 74, Twentieth Century Gallery label: CIVILIAN RECEIVER, KNOWN AS THE 'UTILITY' OR 'INDUSTRY' SET Designed by Dr. G.D. Reynolds (active 1940s), of Murphy Radio Ltd. Made by Murphy Radio Ltd., Welwyn Garden City (Chassis code U7), Great Britain, 1944 3 Valves; pinewood cabinet Circ.678-1975 This model was produced under Government directive by 42 different companies to counter shortage of domestic sets. An M.P. commented that 'whilst the components of the new Utility sets are very good and efficient, the outside appearance is cheap and nasty.'
Object history	Produced 1943-1944 through co-operative action within the industry and not bearing the name of any individual maker.
Collection	Furniture and Woodwork Collection
Accession number	CIRC.678-1975

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Record created	June 26, 2002
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O66311/utility-receiver-reynolds-gd-dr/

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