![A drawing for a design for a radio showing the top front and right side of a white rectangular body with rounded corners on a horizontal orientation drawn on vellum. The body resembles a thick piece of bread and a car dashboard on the front. The front edges appear to have a shiny reflective finish employing white paint and three circular manual dials on the front; one large chrome face dominating the center featuring a central area that wears a gold metallic and chrome face highlighting a gridded pattern with a chrome dial and pointer attached to its center. The circular outer chrome edge of the face displays numbers of the tuner [55, 60, 70, 80, 100, 120, 140, 150] distributed on the upper and side curves with the maker’s name [CROSLEY] on the lower curve and two smaller dials flanking the larger face on both sides. A small red and white logo in the shape of a shield is located below the outer edge on the bottom. The vellum overlaps a piece of drawing paper whose central surface is marked with dark gray material that is visible through the vellum and creates a dramatic ground for the white radio. A stylized [A] is centered below the radio. The paper has old tape marks and ghosts of tape on its surface.]( https://images.collection.cooperhewitt.org/138962_cf2810cfc493c35d_b.jpg
"Drawing, Design for Tube Radio with Center Dial")
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Drawing, Design for Tube Radio with Center Dial
This is a Drawing. It is dated ca. 1950 and we acquired it in 1992. Its medium is pastel, some stencilled, brush and white gouache, on tracing paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.
The streamlined body and chrome dials of this radio show how industrial designers borrowed aspects of transportation vehicles to design futuristic-looking household products. Many presentation drawings are difficult to match to actual production units, as designs often changed in response to client wishes and production costs. This drawing very closely matches Crosley’s radio model 10-135, possibly suggesting that the designer made it for his portfolio after the radio’s production to make it appear as though he had greater influence on final production when meeting with future clients.
It is credited Museum purchase through the gift of Mrs. Edward C. Post.
- Drawing, Clock on Desk Stand
- brush and gouache, chalk on tracing paper.
- Gift of Alfons Bach.
- 1993-108-348
![This drawn radio rendering is on black paper and minimal in color. The paper comprises the radio's color and rectangular body case. It also has rounded corners and is sitting on a surface indicated using white pencil marks. On the front right side of the radio is a large, white circular dial with numbers and decorative yellow accent around it. To the left is the speaker grate with continued yellow accent. Below the grate are two black knobs drawn in white to create highlights. Above the speaker is a logo reading [Philco] on the upper left. On the top right of radio are six small buttons in row and on the right side, a handle.](https://images.collection.cooperhewitt.org/193435_5dbb9c86646216e1_n.jpg "Drawing, Design for a Radio, 20th century")
- Drawing, Design for a Radio, 20th century
- brush and watercolor, chalk on paper.
- Gift of Alfons Bach.
- 1993-108-387
Its dimensions are
H x W: 39.1 × 60.4 cm (15 3/8 × 23 3/4 in.)
It is inscribed
Inscribed in black ink at lower center: A
Cite this object as
Drawing, Design for Tube Radio with Center Dial; USA; pastel, some stencilled, brush and white gouache, on tracing paper; H x W: 39.1 × 60.4 cm (15 3/8 × 23 3/4 in.); Museum purchase through the gift of Mrs. Edward C. Post; 1992-183-3
This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition The World of Radio.
