Kriesler Radio Company
Corner Crown and Yurong lanes, Sydney NSW (1931 - 1932)
Kriesler House, 2 Levey Street, Chippindale Sydney, NSW (1932 – 1934)
Cnr. Pine, Myrtle and Beaumont Streets, Chippendale, Sydney, NSW (1934 – 1940)
43 Alice Street, Newtown, Sydney, NSW (1940 – 1960)
12-30 Cawarra Road, Caringbah, NSW (1962 - 1982)

The Kriesler Radio Company was one of Australia’s largest radio and TV manufacturers, ranked third in the late 1950’s.

Founded in 1931 and sold to Philips in the early 1950’s. Australian radio and TV production continued as a subsidiary of Philips until 1982, the Kriesler name being used until 1983.

Raphael Weingott (1905 – 1981) had a commercial interest in radio from 1924, managing the Airmaster Radio Co., Sydney, later the Electric Trading Co., Inevettes Ltd. and Vocalion Ltd. [1]

In March 1931 he registered Kriesler Radio Company along with his older brother Leon.[2]

They advertised radios that incorporate the worlds latest inventions that no other set in Australia has today with the slogan “Life like tone”.[3]

Leon Weingott left the partnership in November 1931.[4]

Kriesler sold completed chassis along with valves and speakers through local Sydney companies, Prices Radio is an example.[5] They advertised the Invisible Tuning Radio in October 1931 selling direct and through distributors in all Australian states.

In July 1932, Weingott started to market kit set radios as “Meccanoized” kits. [6]
By August, Meccano Ltd., sort an injunction for Weingott to withdraw his trade-mark application. [7] In September an advert was placed in Wireless Weekly stating the Meccanoized kits would now be called Kriesler Mechanised Kits.[8]

By July 1933 Weingott was in financial trouble and filed for Liquidation of the company. [9] Kriesler was, by this time, one of the 243 registered radio manufacturers in Australia.

Percy George Tuit (1896 – 1984), who had made his money from a hosiery wholesaling business, offered to buy the Kriesler Radio Company in October 1933. [10] He also financed Wiengott for a 49% interest in the company.[16]

In November 1933, the Kriesler (Australasia), Pty. Ltd., company was registered.[11]

Production of radios increased dramatically and by July 1940 the company moved into a new 14,000 square feet, factory in Alice Street, Newtown, Sydney, just in time for production to turn to the war effort.[12]

"Kriesler made a great contribution to Australia's 1939-1945 war effort, as the special Mingay's edition commemorating the effort of the Australian radio makers will testify. After the war, Kriesler put to good use its special "put aside" advertising account and that, plus inspirational phrases from Rae Weingott, such as: "Mirrorscopic Tuning", "Triple Throat", and those "Three Little Words - Kriesler Triple Throat"; resulted in Kriesler being ranked third in Australia's radio manufacturers prior to the advent of television in Australia in 1956."[16]

Kriesler (Australasia), Pty. Ltd. changed to Kriesler Australasia Ltd., in May 1949.[13]

In the early 1950’s Tuit and Weingott sold the company to Philips Holdings as they didn’t have the resources to ramp up the company for Television production. They used Philip’s financial and technical resources to ensure continuation of work for their employees.

The company became a subsidiary of Philips with Tuit as Chairman and Weingott as a Director.[14]

A fire in February 1960 at the Alice Street factory caused £1,000,000 damage to the factory and stock. Once again showing concern for their 600 employees they stated “they will remain on full wages until the situation clarifies. The Directors felt the disaster of the fire should not bring hardship on the many fine employees of the company who cannot be replaced as bricks and mortar can.” [15].

After the fire, the company occupied various temporary premises over 9 locations before the new factory in Cawarra Road, Caringbah, NSW opened in 1962.

They manufactured radio, radiograms and large combination sets with names following on from Weingott’s early flare for inspiration names such as; Kriesler-Craftsman-Series, Kriesler-Triple-Sonic-Stereo, Kriesler-Envoy-25, Kriesler Disc-O-Tape, Kriesler-Twini to name a few.

The Caringbah - Sydney factory was closed in 1982 and the KRIESLER brand left the Australian market 31st December 1983.

Kriesler Name

An explanation as to why the company was registered as Kriesler was given by Fred Lane, a past employee in The Kriesler Story, Radio Waves, No. 38, October 1991, Page 19;

“Alec, Leo & Rae Weingott established and registered their company as KRIESLER. They did intend it to be KREISLER, involving the name of Fritz Kreisler the composer and violin virtuoso. There are two stories why it became KRIESLER and not KREISLER. The first story is that the name was incorrectly spelt on the company application registration form (unlikely). The second, is that if the name KREISLER was registered an action from some quarter would ensue (likely).”

[1] Radio Trade Annual, 1934, Page 294.
[2] Dun's Gazette (NSW) Mar 16, 1931  Page 239.
[3] The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Aug 1, 1931, Page 20.
[4] The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Nov 19, 1931,  Page 16.
[5] Wireless Weekly Dec 4, 1931, Page 2.
[6] Wireless Weekly July 8, 1932, Page 24.
[7] The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Aug 31, 1932, Page 7.
[8] Wireless Weekly, Sep 23, 1932, Page 34.
[9] Dun's Gazette (NSW) Jul 3, 1933, Page 16.
[10] Radio Trade Annual 1934, Page 293.
[11] Dun's Gazette (NSW) Nov 13, 1933,  Page 454.
[12] Building Vol 66, No 395, July 26, 1940, Page 39.
[13] Dun's Gazette (NSW) May 13, 1949, Page 151.
[14] Broadcast & TV Yearbook, 1958, Page 194.
[15] The Biz (NSW)  Feb 10, 1960,  Page 7.
[16] Radio Waves, No. 38, October 1991, Page 19