The SONY TR-55 is hard to find and auction prices reflect the scarcity.
#Antique transistor radio for sale portable
The first SONY portable transistor radio imported was the TR-55. In 1955, the Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Company of Japan changed its name and quickly began importing transistor radios under its new SONY name. The Japanese manufacturers also began importing transistor radios during the second half of the 1950s. manufacturers such as Emerson, Philco, and Zenith all began producing models. Over the rest of the 1950s, almost every major consumer radio manufacturer began adding the new transistor radios to their model lines.
It really does not matter if the radio is in working condition as most collectors want them primarily for display. You can expect any TR-1 in any color and reasonable cosmetic shape to sell for $300 to $400.
It is not uncommon for a complete TR-1 in even the poorest shape to sell for well over $200. A pair of TR-1s recently sold for $5,000 at auction on-line. Later versions of the TR-1 offered additional color choices.Īlthough it is not an outstanding performer, the Regency TR-1 is touted as the “First” transistor radio and is probably the most valued and sought after transistor radio by collectors. It was available initially in red, gray, ivory, green, and mahogany. The TR-1 was produced in a variety of colors right from the start. Regency first priced the TR-1 at $49.95 and offered an optional earphone and leather carrying case. The Regency model TR-1 was the first widely marketed transistor radio. This lead to higher production levels and lower production costs and made the price to the consumer affordable. It differed from other prototypes in that due to its circuit design, hand selection of transistors for each individual radio was not necessary. Developed by both Regency and Texas Instruments, the Regency TR-1 used four germanium transistors, which allowed the small 22.5-V battery to last for more than 20 hours. Introduced in October of 1954, the Regency model TR-1 was the first widely marketed transistor radio. It is rumored that one manufacturer of these early transistor radios even supplied shirts to its salesmen with an oversized pocket to fit their radio. They were first advertised as “Pocket Radios” but you needed an awful large pocket to carry one. From the start these transistorized pocket radios were made available in a rainbow of colors. The smaller size, lighter weight, and increased battery life gave these new portable radios a distinct advantage over their vacuum tube predecessors. The first transistorized radios began appearing in stores in the mid 1950s. Although tubes had become smaller, the drain on the batteries required to power these portable tube radios gave them a short life. Many had plastic cases, which made them lighter and more colorful than the bulkier wooden portable radios available just after World War II. Most of these were lunch box size with a carry handle on the top. Small vacuum tube portable radios were available in the early 1950s. It is not uncommon to find a transistor radio at a yard sale for $4 or $5 and sell it the next week for several hundred dollars. Some models are highly sought after by collectors and regularly sell for hundreds of dollars. Today pocket transistor radios manufactured in the 1950s are very collectable. What’s It Worth: Vintage transistor radios
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