Sparton Console

[hermitcrab]

This says Sparton of Canada , but spartan's home office was in Jackson. Mi. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 58f9489620

[TC Chris]

I'm in Michigan, home of MSU's "Spartans" and also to Jackson's "Sparton," so I attend to these details. The sports guys named for residents of Sparta use an "a" in the name. The radio company chose "o."

Chris Campbell

[William]

That's a nice clean looking cabinet with a Collaro changer and it looks like maybe 6BQ5's in PP with two of them missing and a very big PT.

Bill

[electra225]

I own a Jackson-built Sparton radio and it's a good old radio. Is this the same company that built the stereo?

[hermitcrab]

I own a Jackson-built Sparton radio and it's a good old radio. Is this the same company that built the stereo?

I am thinking so... I know Sparton of Canada was part of Sparks - withington in Jackson... fun fact ... Sparton is still in business in Jackson, but they produce medical equipment now... far from the early days of making horns for automobiles back in the 20's , then radios in the 30's and 40's with the most expensive console radio was the Bluebird round mirror console supposedly valued today around 20K.

[electra225]

My 1939 Sparton model 880 has eight tubes but has only a 9" speaker. It sounds nice, though. The speaker is mounted on a metal plate that would let you use a 12" speaker. They must have built two models that shared a cabinet.

[TC Chris]

I've got a Sparton model 1081, ca. 1941. Here's a similar one:
https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/vi ... 1&t=380980

Mine is the one with the disconnected SW section, that WW II gesture by German-descended families to show patriotism. It looks like Sparton was trying to use up their old-stock tube supply, but maybe also it was an effort to keep producing radios while suppliers were building for the war effort, not for consumer products. The chassis has lots of empty real estate. As the ARF piece notes, it has an RF amp but it's output isn't tuned.

Mine was pristine until a flood damaged the bottom 10". I managed to glue the veneers back together a few years ago. Here it is, re-restoration. You can see the high-water mark at the bottom.

Chris Campbell

[hermitcrab]

I've got a Sparton model 1081, ca. 1941. Here's a similar one:
https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/vi ... 1&t=380980

Mine is the one with the disconnected SW section, that WW II gesture by German-descended families to show patriotism. It looks like Sparton was trying to use up their old-stock tube supply, but maybe also it was an effort to keep producing radios while suppliers were building for the war effort, not for consumer products. The chassis has lots of empty real estate. As the ARF piece notes, it has an RF amp but it's output isn't tuned.

Mine was pristine until a flood damaged the bottom 10". I managed to glue the veneers back together a few years ago. Here it is, re-restoration. You can see the high-water mark at the bottom.

P1020696.JPG

Chris Campbell

Can't hardly tell any damage to it.