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« The collecting of radio receivers »
Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register. Dec 20, 2009, 9:52pm
The collecting of radio receivers « Thread Started on Jun 11, 2008, 6:39pm »
Considering the affection most of us still have for the warm and fuzzy medium of radio, it's surprising that the collecting of radio receivers, especially those from the transistor period, has only just taken off.
The humble "tranny" was always intended as a portable unit not designed for a long life. It was cheap enough to be thrown away when the batteries ran out and small enough to be easily lost. Yet what an important social function this simple device played.
After being introduced here in the early '60s, transistor radios soon became a symbol of teenage life. Many who grew up listening to one of these describe them as a source of real companionship. Radio was a more intimate form of communication than television.
As this column has previously noted, there is now growing interest in Australian radio memorabilia, especially from the golden era of the '60s and '70s. Everything from radio station promos to classic bumper stickers are keenly sought after. This is pretty much a baby boomer market but those who collect transistor radios are more likely to belong to generation X (remember them?) - the settled thirtysomethings of today.
What's hot for them are classics such as the Panapet and Toot-a-Loop. These were probably the first radios they listened to. National Panasonic's Panapet 70 is now considered a design classic. They were cute, bright and, as the name suggests, designed to accompany the owner wherever they went. It was one of the first examples of the product as personality. About the size of a softball, they had a chain so that they could be attached to your belt.
These were aimed at a young teenage market and were available in primary colours plus white. Red appears to have been the best-seller judging by current availability. Yellow is now the hardest to find.
Panasonic later put out another design using the same range of colours. The Toot-a-Loop was doughnut-shaped with a swivel that enabled it to be clicked onto the wrist. Both are now among the most popular styles among collectors.
You can pick up Panapets on eBay for between $20 and $50, although you can still find them in op shops or garage sales for a lot less. A complete set of the five colours is worth a lot more. One was listed online for the buy-it-now price of $275.
Panapets were solidly made using new plastic moulding technology, so many have survived. The Toot-a-Loops are more subject to damage and are priced more highly, up to $70. Collectors like them to be in working order even if they are never used. The battery terminals are usually the first parts to break but these can be replaced easily. If the plastic is dull with age, one trick is to shine it with car polish.
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