Article submitted by Steve Kanter, local collector featured in the WOMT 100: A Century of Live Local Radio in Manitowoc exhibition at Manitowoc Public Library
When I was a little kid, I was totally hooked on antique things.
My grandpa really got me into it. He was a junk collector who would roam the back alleys of northside Chicago on garbage days, always on the lookout for hidden old treasures. He’s the one who first sparked my passion for old cars and old Victrolas (he had one in the basement). Then, radios. Grandpa had an old radio in the back bedroom from the 1940s . . . that stuck with me forever.
In 1993, my best friend was fixing a radio for his father-in-law as a favor. He got really into early technology and showed me how cool old radios were. This was just what I needed. My wife had just passed away in an accident and left me with three little kids. I was spending a lot of time at home during those early single parent days, so the radio hobby was a great way to keep myself busy. My daughter later called it “art therapy.” I started searching garage sales, antique shops, and thrift stores, bringing home old radio projects.
I had refinished antique furniture earlier in my life. When I was young and broke, I found joy in fixing old furniture and decorated our house with antique pieces. My mom taught me how to refinish furniture (she was the daughter of my junk collecting grandpa). I later used those skills to repair ornate radio cabinets and restore Bakelite radios. An old Navy radio man did the electronic work for me.
Over the past 30 years, I’ve come across many old radios. I’ve sold a lot of them on eBay and in an antique mall booth. I’m really fascinated with the very early 1920s radios and horn speakers. But my main interest is in Art Deco-styled radios from the late 1920s through the 1940s. Many of these radios are the first examples of Machine Age industrial design, which introduced streamlined design. This era produced some of the most beautiful everyday objects, including furniture, automobiles, houses, and appliances.
I’m a big fan of Atwater Kent and Zenith Radios! Atwater Kent radios were made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from the early 1920s until 1936. Back in the 1920s, they were the biggest radio maker in the world. Both the electronics and the cabinets were top-notch. Thousands of them still exist today and I have some on display in my collection.
Zenith Radio Corporation, on the other hand, was in Chicago, Illinois. They made radios and TVs until the early 2000s. They started by making high-quality radio sets in the 1920s. In my opinion, the big black dial sets from the mid-1930s to the early 1940s are the most sought after. Their slogan was “The Quality Goes In Before the Name Goes On.” You can find some of these Zenith sets in the display, too.
My favorite radio is a rare chrome-plated chassis E.H. Scott radio from 1941. This 19-tube radio is seen as the best of the best in monophonic high fidelity. Because they were so expensive, very few were made. I’m so lucky to have one of only 47 left in the world!
In my previous marketing job, I worked with the folks at WOMT to help promote Shoreline Hometown Credit Union. I’m a big believer in local advertising and had a lot of success with Seehafer Broadcasting. I’m honored to help them celebrate their 100th anniversary. Local radio is so important to the community. My old radios are from a time when radio was the center of the household. For the first time in history, people could get information in real time. WOMT was at the forefront of this information transformation as a pioneer in radio. I’m proud to be a part of their celebration.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to showcase my collection. I hope that you can make it to Manitowoc Public Library at some point between April 20 and May 30 during the WOMT 100: A Century of Live Local Radio in Manitowoc exhibition. I think you’ll enjoy it. They are really something to see!
