Zenith Model 809 Tombstone Deco Radio Gorgeous May Not Be Fully Functional Parts
Outstanding condition, Zenith 809 - Metal Grill Tombstone Radio, May Not be Fully Functional - Parts. The company was co-founded in 1918 by Ralph Matthews and Karl Hassel. Just as the name implies, Zenith meaning the top was the goal of the founders to produce the best possible product at an affordable price. Some historians say that the name "Zenith" as we come to know; came from the call sign letters 9ZN. It was no secret that their diverse product line and their styling were at the forefront of marketing. These models varied from year to year which was necessary to keep up with décor trends for dealers and consumers. With this marketing strategy, Zenith grew into a giant of manufacturers in the Midwest.
Why collect average radios with little investment value? These superb examples are the crème de crème of 40 years of collecting radios. Many books have been published documenting the scarce unknown models and manufacturers.
These companies were only in business for a short time which only produced small production numbers; after all, this was the depression. It also should be noted that there are even less radios survived after 70 or 80 years. I always marveled at the design of the cabinets and those craftsmen who built these radios. Not only did they invent the cabinet designs, they also invented the machinery and the process to produce the designs; absolutely amazing.There is no question that the greatest furniture was created during the depression. These "craftsmen", were immigrants who migrated to the United States. When they came to this country, they brought their trades and skills. During that time in history, labor was cheap and business was very competitive and survival was always a threat, therefore, companies put that extra work into radio furniture to out do othercompeting companies.
One other point I would like to make is: a third of all furniture produced during the depression was radio furniture; this was a huge industry. At that time, I would consider this industry to be one of the cornerstones of manufacturing for the United States; this country was built on manufacturing, as well as built on innovative ingenious design.
The condition is as follows. 1 The cabinet measures: 17" high x 12 1/4" wide x 8 3/4 deep. 4 Metal chrome excellent condition. 7 No dents, no scratches and no veneer missing. 8 Missing dail glass (I will look through my collection of glass parts). 9 Original tube shei lds. If you should decide to use this radio, you use this radio at your own risk. This radio contains old electrical devices that can short and must be checked out by a certified electrical technician.