50 Years of High Design in Home Radio

9 artifacts in this set

This expert set is brought to you by:

The staff at The Henry Ford

This group of radios documents 50 years of design, showing a dynamic range of materials and forms—from Bakelite to glass, the glamorous to the ubiquitous, space age to the miniature age.

Detailed Description

Sparton Radio Model 558-B, 1937

Radio receiver

This 1937 Sparton radio was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, a designer renowned for his use of streamlined forms. A study in contrasts -- the blue mirrored finish and curved sled-like base suggest speed while the five jutting parallel panels appear almost architectural -- this expensive and glamorous radio had a limited market during the Great Depression.