Tour of a Spectacular Antique Radio Collection....Primarily Majestic Radios from the 1930's

This is a tour of a truly exceptional antique radio collection that I photographed while attending a party at the collector's home. I am no expert in Majestic radios, but fortunately most have descriptive cards. Also, there is a lot of background noise, but I believe you can hear my (rather superficial) narrative. This is a change of pace from my usual vintage guitar amp videos, but it offers the opportunity to see some very rare (and valuable) radios. I hope it is of interest.
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Thanks for watching !!!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Frank. I was so impressed with the collection that I felt compelled to share it with you all, even though it was a little different from our normal topics of discussion. I'm very glad you enjoyed it.

[@irusman62]

Thank you so much for showing these, being a cabinet maker this is fascinating and can appreciate the craftsmanship. I bet most were purchased by very wealthy individuals. I especially love the Artdeco designs. in my last year of cabinetry school, we made some bedside tables out of walnut plywood, we had to decorate the front of the cabinet of our own design, I made a Artdeco design out of some solid walnut. Here I go bragging again, but the instructor loved mine so much, that he wanted to buy it from me, I declined his offer, and I still have it. We had to purchase the materials personally.

[@djfrank59]

Hi Doug! I just watched this video and Man! What a collection of Majestics! I've seen many old radios and repaired them, but this is the most amazing display I've ever seen!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Bill.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, BT. I wasn't sure if the guitar amp audience would enjoy a radio video, but you have to admit that it is one heck of a collection.

[@jeffmitchell9214]

Uncle Doug, I enjoyed the radio tour immensely. Thanks.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Julia :)

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Kal. I'm glad you liked it.

[@UncleDoug]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Ron. I think a lot of us get nostalgic when we see objects that remind us of our youth, and better, simpler times. Thanks for watching and for posting your comment.

[@mr50sagain55]

I clicked on this video thinking just another radio collection, but was quickly overwhelmed by the quality and breadth of this collection!...the Majestic Art Deco models impressed me the most!!...thanks so much and hope that you’ll include a radio video from time-to-time on your channel!!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks for your appreciative comments, Mr.50. We're glad you enjoyed the tour.

[@JamesOrcutt]

What a beautiful collection, really love the art deco styles I have a few radios from the late 40's an emerson table top from 47?. I'm a child of the 70's grewup on listening to CBS mystery theatre and rebroadcast of old radio shows from the bygone eras. food for the soul ...Thanks for the video

[@frankowalker4662]

The time and effort the artists went to creating these wonderful pieces of furniture is remarkable. Imagine if they were around today designing computers.

[@ronwarren4173]

Doug enjoyed the visit to the radio display. it toke me back to the days i work at the old Ekco radio / TV plant in southed on sea, Essex, UK. mind you by the they had stopped making radios due to Japaneses imports. I was working on crane safe load on hook indication systems, to stop cranes from falling over. but the old factor still had the old feel. the old factory was about 1/2 a mile long components went in one end and TV came out, they even had their own plastics plant. the stores the old w

[@amoruzz]

Awesome! I found a Telefunken console in a closed up shop while out shopping for tubes once. Looked like a latter 50's console. I should have made him an offer in it, but I was preoccupied with nos tubes. The art deco designs are just incredible. McIntosh! $$$$ The trannies in them are astounding. Thanks!

[@UncleDoug]

Glad you enjoyed it, Amo.

[@Kalkaekie]

Enjoyed the tour ! Thanks !

[@UncleDoug]

I'm glad you liked the radios, Cat. I share your appreciation of Art Deco design, and many of these radios are exceptional examples......absolute works of art. I'm not sure what material the tortoise-shell speaker was made of, but it showed no signs of discoloration, shrinkage, or cracking, unlike most celluloid objects. I will ask the owner if he knows.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Philo. I'm sorry there was so much background noise, but most of the people you hear were in other rooms and probably didn't know what I was doing. The Walton's radio was a Zenith 12-S-232. There are a couple of them demonstrated on KZbin.....do a quick search and you can watch them in action.

[@billclouston]

Nice!

[@chriscunningham6362]

The little 33 Majestic at marker 6:04 is one of the exact radios I bought and restored for my wife. Stuff was packed pretty tight in there but it is a good design and works great!

[@UncleDoug]

The collection belongs to a man whose last name is Majestic, no relation to the original radio maker, so I guess it's natural that he would favor this brand.

[@philo426]

I really like that robot dial!Really cool!

[@UncleDoug]

Cat, the owner responded with the following information: The horn is made of Translucent Tortoise Shell Pyralin and dates from 1925. Pyralin is a nitrocellulose pyroxylin plastic made by DuPont. If you do a search for Pyralin, there is all sorts of info about it. I am not sure if it is the same as celluloid.

[@TerryMcKean]

11:52 Wow... it's definitely a beautiful horn... made of nitrocellulose?...double 'wow'.. don't let any sparks or flame touch that thing. :-D lol! That sure is an incredibly awesome collection.... and all those Majestics of various kinds... so many different and spectacular sets they made in such a short span of years... incredible... thanks for sharing, Uncle Doug :-)

[@TerryMcKean]

Old radios in general are awesome... I'm 61 now and have always loved radios, especially tube-type sets, collecting them, and building them from scratch, etc etc etc... and yup... I definitely love that little display case with all the old capacitors inside it at 14:13 ...lol :-D

[@rayinpau.s.a.6351]

simply amazing ! , my radio room looks some thing like this , but with Tube type cb radios and amplifiers . I also collect the large wood body stereo receivers and amps from the 70's . and of course signs , clocks , pictures and what not that is from the 50's and 60's . great collection of radios and such . Thanks Uncle Doug .

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Ray. It sounds like you have a really nice collection. If you ever post a YT video of it, please let me know so I can view it.

[@cdcVintage]

I love these! I just uploaded a short video explaining how I restored my 1933 Majestic with before and after pics.

[@UncleDoug]

Glad to hear it, CDC.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, James. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@2right4words]

WoW! one of the Best videos on KZbin, a 10 out of 10.....Thanks so much!

[@UncleDoug]

+2right4words Thanks, 2R.....glad you liked it :)

[@MisterTalkingMachine]

Very nice, as I watch this video, I have a Zenith 6DL122 which is very similar in appearance to the 6D116. I am still working on this one, got to fix the electrodynamic speaker, and sort some elusive problem in the front end. Would love to come across any 20's radios, but I have never seen a complete one. Not very often I find an empty cabinet, other times I find a transformer, or a knob, just bare parts.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Mr. T. I used to find 20's radios in various stages of completeness, but haven't seen any for quite a while.

[@jeffking4176]

Very impressive ❗️ It’s interesting to note that most collectors have a certain passion for a particular brand. Me , I’m just a very very small time collector. My collection is mostly of transistor radios, but I do have several tube radios, none of any value, and only 2 are in wood cabinets. 3are later tube sets, incl. 1 Japanese made. My problem is that I cannot work on them myself. So it gets expensive quickly, and I do it on a very strict budget. But my goal is to have at least a majority of my collection actually working properly for the long time. It is fun to collect. Thanks for posting this. 👍🙂‼️

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Jeff. Best of luck with your collection and with developing your own repair skills.

[@UncleDoug]

No, I have had many Zenith radios over the years, but never a 12-S-232. I warn you that if you want one, they have become relatively expensive due to their association with the TV show.

[@antiquefreak3128]

Amazing collection. Thanks for the video.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, AF

[@mrdoubtfire9586]

Real Nice...thanks!

[@UncleDoug]

+Mr Doubtfire You're welcome, Mr. D. Glad you liked it :)

[@mrdoubtfire9586]

Uncle Doug you might find this hard to believe, and the outer limits actually did a show about this, but we were told when TV first came out that we were looking at demons on the other side of the tube that would come after us

[@UncleDoug]

I think those demons turned out to be commercials.

[@alexanderross2786]

Great videos. Can you do a video on how to build a amp chassis with min tools vs best tools ...

[@UncleDoug]

+Alexander Ross Thanks, Alex. Chassis-building is going to be included in my latest video series, probably in Chapter 5.

[@philo426]

i can imagine!

[@luisantoniomarrega1120]

Coleção fantástica! Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Luis. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@mayhem1560]

one word "Majestic" pun intended LOL

[@dhpbear2]

2:23 - That 'clock' radio looks like a Crosley from the 1990's! Yes, they did 'reproductions' of radios back then. Not sure if this one ever existed before 1990, though.:) It tuned the FM band and had a cassette player on the right side ! It's rather shocking that this 'reproduction' would be included with all these other wonderful, truly vintage radios!

[@UncleDoug]

I commented on the modern appearance of the clock, but did not look closely to verify the age of the rest of the radio. Like you, I would not expect to see a reproduction in this wonderful collection.

[@jayster.k.wiseguy]

Not a one was switched on, for the fire and smoke and crackle~

[@UncleDoug]

Indeed, their fire insurance forbade it ;)

[@mrdoubtfire9586]

The Lyric Console would be my choice.

[@odustbrown1836]

Is it just me, or do those Grunow 450 knobs look like the knobs on a 58 epiphone coronet?

[@UncleDoug]

It could be, OB.....they are a very commonly used knob.

[@MasterVertex]

I tend to end up here when searching for Autodesk Maya's 'radioCollection' command.

[@UncleDoug]

We're glad you found us, MV, and hope you find some videos that are interesting.

[@TheBuzzCatt]

supper neet

[@UncleDoug]

Glad yo liked it, Art.

[@handyman-network]

Hi. I just uploaded a vid of my Majestic tube high boy radio and it has 2 dials. There are no images online of a 2 dial radio. Was wondering if you can give me any information about it.

[@UncleDoug]

I am not a radio collector any more, HM, and am sorry, but I have no information on your Majestic radio.

[@2right4words]

At 8:20, he has that Old stuff Plugged In and unattended?

[@UncleDoug]

+2right4words Yes, only the electric clock portion is energized.....and rather noisy.

[@juaneduardobravosunega3026]

Usted es un hombre mui rico para tener esos radios chile

[@UncleDoug]

Ellos no son míos, Juan. Pero el hombre que los posee ya no es rico ... después de gastar todo su dinero en radios :)

[@mrdoubtfire9586]

We were one of the first homes to have a T.V. It was 5 feet tall with a Little 7 inch screen &

[@UncleDoug]

+Mr Doubtfire That really is an early TV. Ours was a Motorola in 1953. It was cubical and sat on a stand.

[@mrdoubtfire9586]

Uncle Doug the thing I liked best about the TV where the enormous tubes in the back of it which glowed this beautiful purple. There was a show that had a man dressed in a welding mask and heavy gloves pretending to be a robot and that blasted show would scared the piss out of me

[@UncleDoug]

Are you sure it wasn't a diving helmet? If so it was probably Robot Monster....widely acclaimed as one of the worst movies of all time, and one of my favorites :)

[@mrdoubtfire9586]

Uncle Doug​ perhaps but it was over 60 years ago too long for me to remember exactly

[@mrdoubtfire9586]

Uncle Doug Doug, I'm looking for one of those windup gramophone, the suitcase type if you come across one

[@2right4words]

When I was a Boy, my Aunt gave me a radio that cost them $600; they didn't want to keep paying Property Tax on it.

[@UncleDoug]

+2right4words Good grief, where do they charge property tax on house furnishings? I want to be sure I never move there :)

[@philo426]

Do you have one?

[@philo426]

They really payed attention to design.Those dudes in the background should shut up!No respect for what you are trying to do!BTW which radio did they use in the Waltons?

[@juaneduardobravosunega3026]

Yo tengo barias una zeni lo felisito mi face book es juan btavo zunega

[@juaneduardobravosunega3026]

Mi colecion bale un millon de pesos pero es solo mia

[@UncleDoug]

Tienes la suerte de tener una colección de un millón de pesos, Juan. El mío vale mucho menos.

[@ralfgall2202]

Leider nicht dabei

[@UncleDoug]

What was not included, Ralf ??

[@robinbrown7019]

To much talking in the background. Loose interest in what you have.

[@UncleDoug]

I guess I should have emptied the man's house of party-goers so there'd be less background noise ;)