Antique radio prices dropping precipitously?

I just got back from the Portland Antique Expo.  The summer show is always the big one, this time with only 1450 dealers.  There were a couple of dealers there this time that seemed anxious to dump their old radios.  I found one dealer that had a sweet Atwater Kent model 46 priced at only $40.  Another dealer had a model 40 priced at $69 (which I feel certain they would have haggled on, if I'd been interested).  The first dealer also had a Type F speaker, so I bought it and the radio for $80 total.









I also noticed another dealer with a Signal Corps radio priced at only $50.  Seems like people are working hard to dump the tubers at any price these days.  Dealers with higher prices were still there, and their booths were generally devoid of shoppers.

I wonder if it was just those people wanting to get rid of them to get out of radios? There are lots of things that dictate price on radios. To me here locally it seems at the Nashville meet the average prices have been going up at each meet. But like you say the higher priced tables people are scarce other than window shopping so to speak. I mainly try to buy junk for parts,parts or advertising. When I first got back into radios a few years ago I got like 5 or 6 at least. The last meet I think I only got a couple.

Radio prices are funny. Back in the 80s you could get a floor model for 25 to 50 bucks. Recently I have paid between 10 and 40 bucks for the same radios. The tabletops back then I would pay a buck at the most for the plastic, 5 bucks at the most for bakelite and 10 to 15 for wooden tabletops. now plastic in my area starts at 5 to 10,bakelite 10 to 50 and wooden ones 25 to 35. When you consider inflation on everything radios to me have gone down in price since the 80s.

Be sure to count your blessings...

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/atq/4539975917.html

Wow... that one is missing SO many tubes and he still powered it up?

Nice toy, though.... Wonder how it was powered up?
I saw the same for a tube Zenith tv on ebay last week, and, it was missing all the tubes. He wanted 199.00 starting bid for it.
what a joke..........

No tubes, no smoke. All systems a-ok! It accepted power with nothing to impede it!   

I disassembled the Type F speaker. WOW. The cone is in great shape, and the grills and cloth are clean. Only problem is I am missing the screws to attach the bezel to the shell. Anyone know where I can find some that won't look like standard hardware store screws?

If you can find a set of likely unplated screws, this stuff will  give a nice patination to them with a few dips and cleanings. It can be also found at gun stores, along with tne liquid gun blues.  these products usually give decent non- fake finish.  if you use it, put a light coat of oil on them, and wipe it off.

http://www.amazon.com/14130-Plum-Brown-Barrel-Finish/dp/B0000C5153

If you have a Gander Mountain store near by, you can pick it right up.