Old radio information needed

Puredarkness

After my mother recently passed away I found a very old radio in the house, still works perfectly,

I'm wondering if it's worth any money or where I might be able to find out about it, please see attached pictures

It's a Philips Type No, 430A-01

Interphone type AF7800

Any information is greatly appreciated

Thank you

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place

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IMG_20221129_163908.jpg

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TheBMG

I think they were quite common at the time. It predates 1967 anyway (the BBC reorganised their radio networks that year).

There’s no FM on it either (BBC started using FM in 1955, RTE by the mid 60s) but that’s not unusual because FM was very slow to develop in its first couple of decades.

Max Power 2010

Not exactly what you have but looks very simular along with model number, definetly the same era.

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philips_bsf_430_absf430.html

Pelvis Parsley

That there is an Irish Philips (quite common in those days for manufacturers such as Philips and Pye to make sets here in order to avoid import duties-good old Dev).

They were usually almost identical electronically to overseas models, but build quality varied, as did the cabinets which they came in.

Philips employed a code within their model numbers.

B=Tabletop Radio

IF=Ireland

430=Model No.

A=AC (as opposed to battery)

It dates from around '54.

Valve radios are not worth a whole lot generally, the likes of that would struggle to exceed thirty or forty pounds at any of the UK meets. If sympathetically restored, and with a discreet and removable Bluetooth add on (as opposed to butchered in there, as some sellers/restorers tend to), they can be quite useful and pretty things to have around.

The pub trade were all about them for display for quite a long time, and still are to an extent.

Please don't plug it in-it would require gentle recommissioning, and probably changing of a few key components. Philips sets tended toward unconventional design, but were often quite reliable.

BIF430A1.pdf

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119936385#Comment_119936385

I have an older radio at home here too, a Bush in my case. A gentleman I know has professional service knowledge with radons and audio equipment and I asked him about using same. He advised the use of a variable power supply to avoid blowing any of it's components and especially it's valves, which can be extremely hard to replace and source. However he also said that it's as well to just leave it turned off as the chances of it not working are quite high, with placing an LED tea light or two inside it to give the impression that the valves are glowing and that the radio is still working.

As a sidenote; you should look up the Hurdy Gurdy Museum in Howth and see all manner of old radio sets and related items. Pat passed away last year but the staff there will still help you out.

https://howthradiomuseum.rezgo.com/details/277725/ye-olde-hurdy-gurdy-museum-of-vintage-radio

Mal Bec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119939547#Comment_119939547

Using a variable power supply is to recondition the capacitors on the high voltage. Unlikely the valves would be damaged. The OP states that the radio is working so that may not be an issue......yet. There are other capacitors that will need to be replaced though.

As already stated, it has little value. 50 euros tops, if you can find a buyer. The only old radios that seem to command higher prices are the rarer Bakelite radios that are coloured anything other than brown or black and in are good condition.

Pelvis Parsley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119939547#Comment_119939547

Thanks, am familiar with the Hurdy Gurdy.

A variac is only of use to check for critical issues (failed insulation on transformer etc.), or to allow electrolytic capacitors to slowly reform-in cases such as these at least.

It won't do anything for the valves, good bad or indifferent.

From the point of view of originality, restoring the original functionality is always my starting point-although once Clarkstown (252) and BBC R4 are gone, there will be little left to listen to. I would always advise fitting (in a professional and sympathetic manner) a BT module, incorporated into the original circuitry, to preserve something of the original sound, for that very reason.

On LEDs, quite "warm" ones are available now, which replicate very well the colour temp of the original dial lamps, so there is that.

Ger Roe

Old valve radio sets are very nostalgic, but they don't achieve the resale prices that people often expect. They are more of interest to enthusiasts for restoration and display, than anything else.

I once spoke to a restorer who told me how he bought a 1950's valve radio for €50 and put another €50 in to restoring it, bringing it's total resale price up to €65 :)

They should be viewed as pieces of history, to be preserved, sadly they often get skipped when people realise they are not investment opportunities.

Puredarkness

Thank you all very much for the replies and information offered, I'll hang on to it for a bit and see if I can find any1 would be willing to give it a good home

Ger Roe

As Pelvis mentioned, you could tidy it up and try a sympathetic bluetooth upgrade. I know of one that had a small amp board, stereo speakers and a bluetooth modlue fitted in a space inside it. Some leds were added to illuminate the dial and the now totally separate bluetooth system is powered by a small plug-in psu - only a small hole was drilled into the back panel for 12v psu access. The mains circuitry is not turned on at all, but when the internal separately mounted modern modules are powered, it lights up and allows bluetooth access.

The person who has it, gave it to his son, so that he can still use the radio that his late gran owned.

Pelvis Parsley

My own approach defers to originality-full restore (at least electrically), and a BT mod at the gram input, so you get a fully functioning set with a reversible modification, and retaining something of the original audio characteristic.

LEDs instead of dial lamps most certainly, being mindful of possible RFI.

BT could be superseded by something else in ten years, but the set remains a blank canvas as it were. And as you say it's preserved.

There's a guy not too far from me who puts what look like totally unrestored examples up on FB marketplace from time to time-they are totally butchered, everything within is torn out, even the speaker. They are utterly ruined for ever more, and offered for sale at three figures. I don't know if he sells any, but I hope not.

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119939843#Comment_119939843

The wooden cased sets have the disadvantage of being incredibly tasty for woodworm.

Antenna

A man from Co. Roscommon planning to restore an old valve radio from his old family home was shown on the Late Late Show last night (24 March), he was one of 5 people with various antique items for restoration projects in the coming months

This radio has been badly hit by woodworm!

The owner said it was bought in 1961 and a Philips P74

about 24 mins in:

https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-late-late-show/SI0000001694

Antenna

The restored valve radio mentioned in last post was shown on the Late Late Show (Big Repair Challenge) last Friday night (28 May) and looking well, complete with the Pye Dundrum Dublin (where the radio factory was) badge on the front .

It wasn't in working order as one of the valves got broken and they awaiting a replacement valve from England.

This radio would not have FM (VHF) so with the recent closure of RTE's LW transmission there would be not much to hear on it nowadays, unless there is to be some other interface for external audio source.

Its approx 33 minutes in on the RTE player (Late Late Show, 28 May)

Pelvis Parsley

They can't have looked too hard, you'd get-Brexit/Royal Fail notwithstanding any generic valve across the water inside a week if you wanted to.

There are ways to get it singing, Bluetooth or FM conversion modules, or even a low power AM transmitter which can itself cast content withinthe home to multiple sets.

He ended up breaking a valve, probably a victim of the spring clips they used at the time-I've lost at least one valve that way myself. I didn't hear much about electronic restoration, but aesthetically it looks great. It will need attention from the soldering iron though...

turbocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941726#Comment_119941726

more to listen to on medium wave,ie bbc 5 live 909khz ,manx radio on 1368 khz. talksport 1089 khz. dublin energy am 1440khz weekends.donegal 846 khz radio north .in monaghan 981 khz radio star country.882 khz bbc wales .810 bbc scotland.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557706#Comment_120557706

Also: Radio Daniella 1206kh weekends Dublin.