Antique radios, Old Time Radios

History of the manufacturer

Columbus (Brand); Radio Centre Ltd.; Wellington

ID = 7580

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Name:	Columbus (Brand); Radio Centre Ltd.; Wellington (NZ)
Abbreviation:	columbus
Products:	Model types
Summary:	Radio Centre Ltd. (Columbus Radio Centre. Head Office, 65 Courtenay Place, Wellington. Nation-wide chain of retail outlets 'Columbus' was the house brand of Radio Corporation of New Zealand Ltd. and was introduced in 1937 and lasted until 1960. Columbus Radios were distributed by Columbus Radio Centres. [1] The company also marketed Radio Corporation of New Zealand’s recording label, TANZA (‘To Assist New Zealand Artists’) from 1949 till 1959. [2] They offered sales and service through 33 branches throughout New Zealand. One of the last valve-equipped sets to carry the Columbus name was the model RG11 radiogram of 1960, but this was made at Akrad’s Waihi factory. A small number of Columbus transistor radios were produced from 1957 of which Model 117PZ was one of the first. By 1960 manufacturing had ceased.[3]
Founded:	1937
Closed:	1960
Production:	1937 - 1960
History:	[1] Evening Star 12 Feb 1940, Page 5. [2] Otago Times 5 Dec 1949, Page 2. [3] John Stokes - More Golden Age of Radio, Page 119.

This manufacturer was suggested by Wolfgang Scheida.

Some models:

Country	Year	Name	1st Tube	Notes
NZ	36/37	67B	1A4	6E5 only switched on for tuning in.
NZ	36/37	57B	1C6	Mingay's "Radio Diagram & I.F. Index" gives I.F. as 175 kHz.
NZ	36/37	43	6K7
NZ	37/37	Columbus 38	6D6	All-Wave Receiver with Spotlight SpiralTuning Dial and "Magic Eye" tuning. The...
NZ	38/39	Columbus 58V	1C6	Uses synchronous vibrator power unit. Magic eye and dial lights are separately switched.
NZ	38/39	Columbus 68V	1A4	Vibrator powered version of model 68B. Magic eye and dial lights separately switched.
NZ	38/39	Columbus 68B	1A4	Battery version of 68V. 6N5 and dial lights separately switched.
NZ	38/39	The Challenger 84	6A8	6-Valve (including magic eye) superhet broadcast (MW) table model receiver. See also Co...
NZ	38/39	Columbus 35	6A7
NZ	38/39	Columbus 36 [Console]	6D6	7-Valve (including magic eye) superhet with RF stage dual wave console model. See also ...
NZ	36/37	7BV	1A4	Uses vibrator power unit.
NZ	36/37	7B6	1A4

[rmxhdet-en]

Further details for this manufacturer by the members (rmfiorg):

Columbus Logo. Image sourced from Paperpast -National Library of New Zealand

[1] Evening Star 12 Feb 1940, Page 5. Image sourced from Paperpast -National Library of New Zealand

[2] Advertising radiograms and TANZA records. Otago Times 5 Dec 1949, Page 2. Image sourced from Paperpast -National Library of New Zealand

Radio Corporation of New Zealand’s recording label, TANZA. National Library of New Zealand

Nelson Evening Mail 1 Jul 1940, Page 3. Image sourced from Paperpast -National Library of New Zealand

tbn_nz_columbus_nelson_evening_mail_1_jul_1940_page_3.jpg

Press 13 Dec 1956, Page 176. Image sourced from Paperpast -National Library of New Zealand

Advertising records in 1960 Press 6 May 1960, Page 16. Image sourced from Paperpast -National Library of New Zealand

RECONSTRUCTED SPEAKER LABEL

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