The Golden Age of Radio
Caitlyn Rinne
Hodgins Art Auctions / Hall’s Auction Services
From the 1920s to the 1950s, radio was the heartbeat of home entertainment in North America.
The early development of radio technology saw companies and inventors across the globe experimenting with wireless broadcast. In Canada, the first commercial radio station was opened in 1919: the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of Canada was located in Montreal, and started a regular broadcast schedule in 1920.
The Golden Age of Radio begins in the 1920s, when advancements in technology made the radio more widely available to consumers. Broadcasters across the world drew in millions of listeners with news shows, comedy and variety acts, music and more, and the radio became a center for connection to the wider world within the family home.
LOT 37. General Elecrtic M-40 (c. 1930s)
Sold February 25, 2025
The 1930s: The True Golden Age
In 1931, tabletop radios became widely available in Canada – these radios were much smaller and more affordable than the previously popular floor models. Public broadcasting arrived in Canada in 1932 with the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission. In 1936, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (the CBC) was founded.
Fabulous new radio designs came out in the 1930s, influenced by the Art Deco movement, and were produced with new materials like Bakelite and other forms of plastic.
Orson Welles’ 1938 broadcast of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds is one of the most famous tales in radio history: viewers who had tuned in late to the story of Martians invading New Jersey mistook the broadcast as real news.
Connection in Times of War
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the radio became a means for citizens all over the world to stay informed about the conflict.
Canadian reporters kept the country up to date with broadcasts from Europe, and listeners could tune into hourly reports. Dramas were produced to boost morale and support the war effort, and through radio broadcasts, the families and friends of those sent overseas could stay connected to what was happening to their loved ones.
LOT 76. RCA Victor 54-B1 Mini Radio (1940s)
Sold February 25. 2025
LOT 80. Philips L3x04T (early 1960s)
Sold February 25, 2025
Radios for Rock ‘n Roll
In October 1954, Texas Instruments and I.D.E.A. of Indiana collaborated to release the world’s first consumer transistor radio. The transistor was a huge leap forward for portable technologies, especially portable radios, which until then had been weighed down by the use of fragile and power hungry vacuum tubes.
Companies across the globe followed suit, and the portable transistor radio became an easy and inexpensive way to listen to music on the go. Aligning beautifully with the insurgence of Rock ‘n Roll in the 50s, people of all ages could listen freely to the music of their choice.
A Radio Shaped Like Anything
Novelty radios peaked in popularity from the 1960s to the 1980s. Advances in technology made plastic radios cheaper and easier to produce, leading to a proliferation of small, uniquely shaped machines. Companies worldwide leveraged novelty radios as a marketing tool, creating products that resembled everyday items such as soda cans, beauty products, and cigarette packages.
LOT 84. Novelty Radio Collection
Sold February 25, 2025
LOT 103. Transistor Radio Collection
Sold February 25, 2025
Contact Us Today
If you are in the market for a historic radio or if you have a high-quality piece that you are hoping to sell, reach out to us today to find out about our upcoming sales, or to request estimates.
Please note that we deal with a select market of antique technologies, and only objects that are in good condition.