Radio
Our extensive collection of early radio includes items dating back to the late 19th Century and spans through to the late 20th Century.
Radio Receiver
Date: 1928
Title: Radio Receiver
Description: Home—built radio receiver made by R J Rae of Upper Hutt, New Zealand in 1928. It uses Browning Drake circuit. Was loaned to Weta Productions of Wellington and used in the Peter Jackson (film director) movie "King Kong".
Philco Radio
Date: ca. 1953
Title: The Philco model 401.
Description: Gilfillan Radio Corporation, 3 valve battery set, type 25. Donated by Mr McCutcheon (call sign of ZL2AAS).
Radio Console
Date: ca. 1950
Title: Radio Console
Description: Bell Radio Console, brown wooden exterior, on the left near the station numbers it has "Broadcast N. island S. island Australian'. The bell brand was introduced in New Zealand in 1951 and lasted until around 1980.
Radios donated to the museum by Winfried Brendgens
Winfried migrated to New Zealand from Germany in 1981. In his belongings he had two radios originally owned by an army officer during the Second World War. He came by the radios when he advertised for an old radio that could be used to help teach his young cousin how radio works. The widow of the army officer replied to the advertisement offering the two radios.
Officers party radio
Date: 1939
Title: Officers party radio
Description: Only small numbers of these radios were produced so the museum is privileged to hold such a rare item. It could be powered from a battery or AC supply and is capable of receiving Long wave, Medium wave and Short wave signals. It looks like an unobtrusive wooden box and has the tuning dial hidden behind a small door when not in use.
Deutscher Volksemfaenger
Date: 1939
Title: Deutscher Volksemfaenger (“people’s receiver”)
Description: These were a range of low-cost radio receivers produced in Nazi Germany. The purpose was to make radio reception affordable to the general public. Goebbels realized the great propaganda potential of this relatively new medium and thus considered widespread availability of receivers highly important. These receivers had a large aerial in order to pick up signals being transmitted over nearby telephone lines. The design only permitted reception of locally produced broadcasts so that the populace was prevented from hearing signals from the likes of the BBC.