Vintage 1940s/50s Bush DAC 90a Bakelite valve radio - fully working. Came from a radio enthusiast collection. It is in exceptional condition. This amazing radio has that vintage look and is fully working. It lights up and you even have to wait for the valves to heat up before any sound can be heard - amazing! Obviously with most radio stations now being digital there is a very limited amount of stations you can tune into ( you won't be listening to Oasis for instance 🤣) but that only adds to the charm. I have seen damaged bakelite cracked glass etc examples making £50 plus. I cannot emphasise enough the condition - lovely.
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30 cm wide 17 cm width 23 cm tall.
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We have 3 vintage radios for sale separately. We may consider selling them all together. To explore this option please contact us for pricing etc (see pictures).
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Some age related wear.
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Bush Radio was a British radio and television company founded in 1932. The company was based in Shepherd's Bush, London, and the brand name comes from the area.
Early history
Gilbert Darnley-Smith founded the company from the remains of the Graham Amplion loudspeaker company
Bush Radio became a subsidiary of the Gaumont British Picture Corporation
In 1945, Bush Radio became part of the Rank empire
In 1949, Bush Radio opened a new factory in Ernesettle, Plymouth
Popular models
The DAC90 radio was designed by Frank Middleditch and was featured in the 1946 V&A exhibition "Britain Can Make It"
The TR82 transistor radio was designed by Ogle Design and was very popular with teenagers
The AC34 was a 5-valve receiver that was introduced in 1954
Later history
In 1962, Bush Radio merged with Murphy Radio to become Rank-Bush Murphy (RBM)
In the 1980s, the Bush brand name disappeared from British markets
In 1986, Alba plc bought the Bush brand name to use on Chinese manufactured goods
Bush radios are known for their warm, rich sound, natural resonance, and depth of sound.
Bakelite was the first synthetic plastic, invented in 1907 by Belgian-born American chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland. It was a durable, heat-resistant, and insulating material that was used in many products, including electrical devices, household items, and costume jewelry.
Discovery
The history of radio began in the late 1800s with the work of scientists like James Clerk Maxwell, Heinrich Hertz, and Guglielmo Marconi.
Early radio history
1886: German physicist Heinrich Hertz proves the existence of radio waves
1895: Italian physicist Guglielmo Marconi sends a wireless Morse code message over a kilometer away
1896: Marconi patents his wireless telegraphy system in England
1901: Marconi sends the first transatlantic signal
1920: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company broadcasts the first commercial radio broadcast in Pittsburgh
Radio's Golden Age
The 1920s to the end of World War II are known as the Golden Age of Radio
Radio became a household item in the 1920s
Radio became the first electronic mass medium
Radio's impact on culture
Radio defined a generation of mass culture along with newspapers, magazines, and motion pictures
Around 1945, the appearance of television began to change the role and content of radio
In 1969, a Motorola radio transponder relayed the first words from the moon to Earth on
