Ann Arbor Radio - Arborphone to Kadette

ID: 312548

This article refers to the manufacturer: To the manufacturer

Ann Arbor Radio - Arborphone to Kadette

22.Feb.13 15:53

210

James Surprenant (USA)
Count of Thanks: 9

ANN ARBOR RADIO - From Arborphone to Kadette

presented by James M. Surprenant

at the 2013 Argus Collectors Group Gathering

Eden, North Carolina, May 2013

Introduction

Years before Argus revolutionized amateur photography in America with its popular and inexpensive line of 35mm cameras, the firm's predecessors, International Radio Corporation, Precision Manufacturing and CAVAC produced and marketed inexpensive and innovative radio receivers and accessories. Just as Argus was a pioneer in the world of consumer photography, so too were CAVAC IRC and radio in consumer products.

In describing the origins of Argus in Glass, Brass, & Chrome , Kalton Lahue and Joseph Bailey write that prior to manufacturing cameras, Argus had its origins in 1931 when a group of Ann Arbor, Michigan businessmen led by Charles A. Verschoor pooled their talents to give an economic boost to the local economy ravaged depression.

Their idea was to create new jobs in a growth industry Which would step up employment in Ann Arbor. Radio seemed to be the perfect answer, it was enjoying a firm hold on the American public. Verschoor formed the International Radio Corporation to manufacture inexpensive radios, using a molded-plastic case to keep costs low. The International Radio Corporation was successful from the beginning. Its initial product was the Kadette, the first five-tube radio ac-dc jacket on the market, and its patents were held exclusively by IRC. Business was so good that Verschoor soon added the International model and even ventured into the private-label radio business with gratifying financial results (1).

While Lahue and Bailey are correct that the International Radio Corporation was founded by Verschoor and others in 1931, they do overlook the fact that IRC was actually at least the second incarnation of Verschoor's radio manufacturing enterprise. Further, Lahue and Bailey are incorrect in reporting that the Kadette was the principal product of IRC followed by the International model. The first product marketed by IRC International duo was the radio, but it was the Kadette product line that followed that established IRC as a successful firm.

Since Glass Brass & Chrome which Primarily concerned with the early history of the 35mm camera and not the radio manufacturing industry, their inaccuracies are excusable. Here we shall expand a bit on what Lahue and Bailey had written and set straight the record on Verschoor's radio enterprise out of the Argus camera Which empire would be born.

The Entrepreneur

Charles A. Verschoor was born in 1888 in Dundee, Michigan, about 25 miles south of Ann Arbor (2) where Argus, IRC, Cavac, and other Vershoor corporations would be founded. Verschoor studied at both Michigan State University and the University of Michigan and as a young man, he worked in the drafting department of the Burroughs Adding Machine Company (3)

During World War I, Verschoor worked as a civilian in the War Department, where he organized Army motor pools and trained drivers and mechanics. At the conclusion of the war he wrote automotive manuals and sold automobile parts. (4) Verschoor's automotive parts enterprise operated under the name Precision Parts.

In a January 1945 article about Argus, Fortune magazine Verschoor Described as a colorful old-time promoter who had an unassailable self-confidence and flair for coming up with technical gimmicks and catchy names. (5)

Like many other young men of the time who were ask by the inventor bug, Charlie turned his attention to the Verschoor Rapidly growing world of broadcast radio in the 1920s. Vershoor's first radios set, the Arbor Phone, what a simple battery-operated tuned radio frequency (TRF) receiver resembling an early Atwater Kent. It was a serviceable radio marketed as a lower-cost alternative to the big-name radio brands of its day. (6)

The Arbor Phone

The first Arbor Phone what Introduced in 1923 and cost $ 55.00 without tubes. The set required five 201 or 301 vacuum tubes. The Arbor Phone, like most consumer radios of the 1920s, was housed in a wooden box and elongated required to external battery and speaker to be attached. Collectors today refer to this style radio as a "coffin radio" due to its shape and hinged flip up top.

Collectors recognize five distinct Arbrophone Subsequent models that followed the initial set. These were the model numbers 25 (aka The Grand), 27, 35, 37, 45 and 55th Additional models that were variants of these base models were also produced examined as the Models 252, 253 and 255 Which were based on the 25th Model

But who really built the Arbor Phone?

Conflicting information exists as to Which firm or firms actually manufactured the Arbor Phone, and in some antique radio circles, the mystery continues to this day.

According to a 1975 article in the Ann Arbor Observer , Charles Verschoor founded a radio manufacturing firm in 1925 named CAVAC (for his initials, CAV) Which produced a line of simple radio sets called the Arbor Phone. (7)

Yet other articles offer different accounts. According to an article by Brian Belanger appearing in the October 2002 edition of the Mid-Atlantic Antique Radio Club newsletter, The Name Of Verschoor's Arbor Phone firm changes Depending On Which source you consult. Belanger wrote:

Don Patterson's 1986 Radio Age article on the history of Arbor Phone is the starting point. Patterson's article Describes how ... Verschoor ... Arbor started making phone radios of the early 1920s. An Antique Radio Classified article by Wally Worth says Arbor Phone began in 1923. A radio Age article by Hardy says that Trolander Precision Products ... what the maker of Arbor Phone radios. Yet ... Gernsback's Official Radio Service Manual , lists Peerless as the maker of Arbor Phone. Trolander says that Arbor Phone chassis made ??for radios produced by United Reproducers Corporation, Which had absorbed Peerless. ... further ... Verschoor had left prior to its bankruptcy Arbor Phone and founded the Cavac Corporation in Ann Arbor in late 1929 or early 1930th Trolander states that Verschoor became an office of United Reproducers when Arbor Phone merged with it. (8)

My research for this article brought me to Ken Nevins, one of the leading enthusiasts of Arbor Phone and Kadette radios today. According to Ken, the information that contributed Hardy Trolander were basically correct, but making reference to Peerless Arbor phones is completely backwards.

"Arbor Phone / Precision Products was one of the United Reproducers, a brief union of four or possibly five companies partnered for the purpose of making radios together. Arbor Phone / Precision 's contribution was making chassis for the radio.

"Two entirely different speakers were used in the radios. United Radio of Rochester, New York, made the conventional dynamic speakers used in the basic model. The deluxe units used a special Kylectron electrostatic speaker units made by Cordonic Manufacturing of Holland, Michigan. Apparently Newcombe Hawley of St. Charles, Illinois took over the manufacture of the Kylectron speakers at some point. "

According to Nevins, "All the components were sent to Buckeye Incubator, of Springfield, Ohio, who made the cabinets and therefore assembled the components into" Peerless "as well as" Courier "radios and tested them. Unfortunately there were problems almost right away, as the very unique electrostatic-type speakers failed at an alarming rate and pretty much doomed the venture to failure as the word got out. The United Reproducers was only in existence for a couple of years before Vershoor bailed and initiated the equally short lived CAVAC. "

According to Nevins, the initial name of the firm that produced the Arbor Phone was called Machine Specialty Company. Ken is certain of this fact citing, an article by Roy T. Reynolds (Ann Arbor) News staff reporter who reported this in a retrospective article titled, "High-tech specialty radio factory comes to Ann Arbor in 1925."

In an email exchange with me on the topic, Nevins writes, "I believe within the year their name was changed to Precision Products Co." and "that name is on most Arbor Phones and all the instruction books and literature. Of course part of the confusion stemmed from one of the original products Which was a machining operation, making piston pins. "

The January 1931 Fire

On the evening of Monday, January 5, 1931 tragedy struck Cavac and Verschoor's life as a radio industry leader to nearly came to an abrupt end when the Summit Street factory was destroyed by fire.

The Ann Arbor Da ily News reported that the fire started when a "slow" in the lacquer spraying room explosion rocked the plant shortly after 7:00 pm. CAVAC radio engineer around JL Glerum reported that he had just completed a spraying lacquer cabinet and shut off the compressor and spraying was leaving the room when he heard a "queer sort of a sucking sound" and then saw that flames "seemed to roar out all "traveling" rapidly along the ceiling. "(9)

Fortunately, there was no loss of life and the three occupants of the plant at the time escaped with only minor burns. However, the plan was a total loss. Verschoor, who learned of the loss by telegram while en route to New York by train, estimated the total loss to have been about $ 60,000. Of the $ 60,000, $ 40,000. Resulting in inventory and the remaining $ 20,000 the value of the building owned by Michael J. Fritz and L & Hoover Estates Of the $ 40,000 loss in stock, approximately one half what. Covered by insurance (10)

Up from the Ashes - Radio Reborn in Ann Arbor

It took only seven months Charles Verschoor to get back on his feet after the fire destroyed Cavac. The International Radio Corporation was founded in August 1931 by a group of area businessmen assembled by future Ann Arbor mayor, William E. Brown, Jr.

Seeking to ease the impact of the Great Depression on the city, Brown's group had assembled with the intention of staring a local company that would get people back to work. ... they proceeded to found the International Radio Corporation. With Verschoor as president, the new company set up shop in an old furniture factory at the corner of William and Fourth Streets. (11)

Brown's group of investors scraped together $ 10,000 - a shoestring sum even in those days - and started the new radio firm. By 150. 1936 IRC employed International's effect on the economy can not be Ann Arbor understated. (12) Within two years of it's founding, International Radio was the only Ann Arbor corporation that was stopped paying dividends to its shareholders (13) and sales in 1937 had climbed to $ 2,700,000. (14)

IRC Innovative Products

According to an article that appeared in Fortune magazine in the 1930s, International was a "small young radio corporation organized ... to make radios for the Emerson Radio & Phonograph Corp.. of New York City. "While experimenting with what IRC set to AC-DC, the Emerson Company, Which at the time saw little merit in the tiny two-current radio, broke off relations with International. (15)

Contrary to Lahue and Bailey's postage account in Glass, Brass & Chrome, the first International product was a midget AM / shortwave receiver called the "International Duo." Midget radios were becoming quickly popular, and the duo only measured 16 "high by 14" wide, Significantly smaller than other sets of its day. (16) The International duo was unique as it had two separate tuning dials, one for domestic AM broadcast band-reception and another dial for international shortwave reception.

As Argus would incorporate plastics into camera bodies in order to make consumer cameras smaller and less expensive, IRC did the same with radios. The duo's plastic case was manufactured by the Chicago Molded Products Co. and marked the beginning of a new era in cabinet design by being the first set housed in plastic. The duo's cabinet design was rather traditional for the day, having a strong Gothic look with arches on the front of the case. (17)

Following the duo, to even smaller and vastly more innovative radio led to IRC's early success. The two-tube Kadette Model F "Junior" is Believed to be the first true pocket radio (although you would need a large coat pocket to carry it).

Introduced in 1932, the Kadette could use either household current or low-voltage direct current. (18)

"Every efficiency apartment in New York City had one, because it was the only small radio around for some time," recollected Eck Stanger, a long-time Ann Arbor News photographer and observer of the Ann Arbor scene. (19)

In my correspondence with Nevins, he said Verschoor of that old Charlie could sell anything as long as it was the "next big thing." IRC quickly followed up on the innovative AC / DC design of its small plastic-bodied radio sets by introducing a kit that could attach the Kadette to a storage battery so it could be used in Pullman cars or automobiles. In all likelihood, the IRC Kadette was the first mass-produced car radio. (20)

Later innovations included the IRC "Tunemaster," a portable remote control device Which could turn on and tune a radio from any part of the house and the Kadette 'Autime,' which many regard as the first mass-produced clock radio. (21)

IRC Marketing Strategy-Clever, but Short-Sighted.

As previously stated, Charles Verschoor was as much of shrewd salesman as a clever inventor. He had a knack for product design, product naming and appealing to customer sensibilities. In 1937, however, he came up with what can only be Described as a clever scam under the guise of giving the customer what they wanted.

It was a common consumer of the day was that the more tubes had a radio receiver, the higher the quality of the set - the typical "bigger is better" belief. Playing to this sentiment, Verschoor has been quoted as saying "If they want to buy tubes, we'll sell them tubes." (22)

Under Verschoor's direction, IRC developed a 10-tube set Which would sell for the price of an inexpensive five tube model. At the time other manufactures were true marketing 10-tube receivers with price tags starting at around $ 100, but Verschoor's 10-tube Kadette would sell for a mere $ 19.95.

The 10-tube Kadette what in reality a five-tube radio with five additional tubes wired in series like a string of Christmas lights. The superfluous tubes had absolutely no effect on the performance of the radio, except for the fact that if one of them were to be removed, the radio would not operate as current would not be passed on to the "working" tubes.

Verschoor as planned, the 10-tube Kadettes were perceived as higher end radios, and were very popular with consumers as they were sold in the price range of typical 5-tube sets. The 10-tube Kadettes had a high turnover rate but they had a profit margin of less than 15%. Radio dealers had to move around a dozen of the Kadettes equal to the profit they could get one selling premium radio. (23)

IRC did not use middle-men or jobbers, and unlike many other radio manufacturers, they sold their products direct to retail dealers. In order to get the popular 10-tube sets, IRC began to require that the dealers take additional Kadette slower selling models. To move the less popular Kadette models, dealers had to offer under-the-counter discounts and their aggregate profit on Kadette radios could drop to as low as only 5%. Over time the narrow margin led dealers to drop the Kadette line in favor of competitor's kits. International scrambled to rectify the problem, but was too late to repair much of the damage they had done. (24)

The End of the Radio Era.

As radio sales picked up in the winter months but dropped off in the summer months, Charles Verschoor began looking for a complementary product to even out IRC's revenue stream. While in Europe in the mid-1930s he was captivated by the small but pricey Leica 35mm camera. The revolutionary candid camera lenses and shutter speeds used almost Allowing photographers to make good photographs in available light. (25)

Verschoor persuaded the IRC board of directors that a unique opportunity existed in the compact camera market. In May 1936, the simple to use and inexpensive Argus A IRC what Introduced and sold 30.000 units in the first week and launched the most popular and longest running film format in the history of amateur photography. The instant popularity and success of their camera offering helped speed along the end of the radio era at IRC.(26)

In July of 1939, the entire IRC division including all patent was sold to W. Keene Jackson, former general sales manager and director of International Industries, Inc., IRC's parent company. The new firm, Kadette Radio Corporation was incorporated on July 8, 1939 with executive offices at 310 First National Bldg and its manufacturing plant at 208 S. First Street. KRC had expected to employ 100 men and women. (27)

With a television cathode ray tube at his side in his office, Jackson declared that the new firm Kadette was definitely entering the television field and Intended to be a major player. "The Kadette Corp. radio. is going to employ every technical resource to bring the price of efficient television reception to the point where every American home can enjoy this new art as quickly as possible, "Mr. Jackson said." (28)

Unfortunately, the problems that plagued Kadette radio sales for IRC continued to hinder the new company as well, and in about a year KRC ceased operation. (29)

Verschoor went on to revolutionize photography with 35mm Argus and was a major player as the leading American producer of consumer cameras for nearly thirty years.

PARTIAL LISTING OF THE KEN NEVINS CAVAC & IRC RADIO PRODUCTS

Year	Firm	Model Name	Model No.	Body Description	Tubes	Power	Bands	Circuit
1926	CAVAC	Arbor Phone	26?	Wide lift-top dark wood,	5	Battery	BC	TRF
1927	CAVAC	Arbor Phone	27	Wide lift-top dark wood,	5	Battery	BC	TRF
1927	CAVAC	Arbor Phone	37	Wide lift-top dark wood,	6	Xfmr.	BC	TRF
1928	CAVAC	Arbor Phone	25?	Large lift-top, fancy walnut	6	Battery	BC	TRF
1928	CAVAC	Arbor Phone	45	Lift top, two-tone wood	7	Xfmr.	BC	TRF
1928	CAVAC	Arbor Phone	55	Lowboy, two-tone wood	7	Xfmr.	BC	TRF
1932	IRC	Internationally	All Wave Duo	Gothic Cathedral	8	Xfmr.	2SW/BC	screen
1932	IRC	Internationally	All Wave Duo	"Continental" - walnut lowboy	8	Xfmr.	2SW/BC	screen
1932	IRC	Internationally	TS	Two-tone wood coat	4	Xfmr.	SW / BC	regnr
1933	IRC	Internationally	J	Deco style cathedral	5	Xfmr.	BC	regnr
1933	IRC	Internationally	JS	Gothic style cathedral	5	Xfmr.	SW / BC	regnr
1931	IRC	Kadette	Mod PM	Gothic coat, brown Bakelite	5	AC-DC	BC	regnr
1932	IRC	Kadette	B	Gothic coat, plastic Beetle	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1932	IRC	Kadette	B	Gothic coat, black Bakelite	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1932	IRC	Kadette	B	Gothic coat gray, Plaskon	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1933	IRC	Kadette	Junior (F)	Pocket Portable brown, bakelite	2	AC-DC	BC	supht
1933	IRC	Kadette	Junior (F)	Pocket Portable, white Plaskon	2	AC-DC	BC	supht
1933	IRC	Kadette	Junior (F)	Pocket Portable red, Plaskon	2	AC-DC	BC	supht
1933	IRC	Kadette	NEW or B	Deco mantle, silver. gray, brown wood.	5	AC-DC	SW / BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	40 Jewel	Brown Bakelite w. tan grille	3	AC-DC	BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	41 Jewel	Brown marbled, w. agate grille	3	AC-DC	BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	43 Jewel	White Plaskon w. alabaster grille	3	AC-DC	BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	44 Jewel	Red Plaskon w. coral cricket	3	AC-DC	BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	48 Jewel	Blue & black marble w. silver grille	3	AC-DC	BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	52	Small tombstone, two-tone wood	5	Xfmr.	SW / BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	53	Small tombstone, two-tone wood	5	Xfmr.	2SW/BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	55	Deco style, medium tombstone	5	Xfmr.	SW / BC	regnr
1935	IRC	Kadette	60	Cathedral, two-tone wood	5	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	61	Deco style, medium two-tone tombstone	6	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	65	Medium tombstone, w. cricket world map	5	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	66	Curved wood coat	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	72	Deco style, medium tombstone	5	Battery	SW / BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	85	Nouveau style medium tombstone	5	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	105	Large tombstone walnut	6	Xfmr.	SW / MW / BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	120	Large Deco style table radio	7	Xfmr.	SW / BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	661	Large two-tone wood tombstone	6	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1935	IRC	Kadette	1050	Floor model console, wood	6	Xfmr.	SW / BC	supht
1936	IRC	Kadette	35	Mantle, wood	5	Xfmr.	BC	supht
1936	IRC	Kadette	77	Small curved tombstone, wood	7	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1936	IRC	Kadette	86	Curved shell, wood	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1936	IRC	Kadette	87	Medium table, walnut	7	Xfmr.	SW / BC	supht
1936	IRC	Kadette	96	Medium table, walnut	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1936	IRC	Kadette	66X	Jacket, curved wood	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	36	Medium table, curved wood	6	Xfmr.	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	76	Jacket, Canada goose grille cutout	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	400	Medium Deco style table radio	4	Battery	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	500	Large Deco style table radio	4	Battery	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	635	Medium tombstone, wood	6	Xfmr.	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	676	Coat walrus,	6	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	1019	Medium curved wood table radio	10	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	1030	Medium curved wood table radio	10	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	1129	Medium curved wood table radio	11	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	1149	Floor model console, walnut	11	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	649-X	Chairside, cocktail cabinet	6	Xfmr.	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K10.Classic	Three-tone plastic white w. Plaskon blue trim	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K11.Classic	Three-tone plastic white w. Plaskon yellow trim	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K12.Classic	Three-tone plastic white w. Plaskon green trim	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K13.Classic	Three-tone plastic white w. Plaskon rose trim	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K14.Classic	Three-tone plastic: Brown, tan marbled,	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K15.Classic	Three-tone plastic: three shades of green	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K150 Cameo	Brown Bakelite midget	5	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K151 Cameo	White Plaskon midget	5	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K152 Cameo	Peanut butter midget	5	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K16.Classic	Three-tone plastic: Black vermillion, & white	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K25 Major	reen Clockette green Catalin, Catalin	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K26 Colonel	Clockette, clear blue	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K27 General	Red Catalin Clockette red, Catalin	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K28 Admiral	Clockette, blue marble	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	K-617	Round grille shell	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	M21Moderne	Clockette walrus,	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	M22 Colonial	Clockette, maplewood	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	M23 Sheraton	Clockette, curved wood	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	Kadette	M24 Futura	Clockette, mahogany wood	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1938	IRC	Kadette	845	Large curved wood table	8	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1938	IRC	Kadette	950	Large Deco sweep table	9	AC-DC	2SW/BC	supht
1938	IRC	Kadette	K-739	Large curved wood table	7	Xfmr.	2SW/BC	supht
1939	IRC	Kadette	KRC-2	Deco sweep remote control	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1939	IRC	Kadette	L-25 Topper	Top speaker table, white w. brown plastic	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1939	IRC	Kadette	L-40 Autime	clock radio, Ingraham	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1939	IRC	Kadette	L-40 Autime	clock radio burled, walnut	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1932	IRC	Rolls / Kadette	B	Gothic coat, brown Bakelite	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1932	IRC	Rolls / Kadette	B	Gothic coat pink, Plaskon	5	AC-DC	BC	supht
1935	IRC	St.Regis	Ingraham 25	Small Art Nouveau tombstone	4	Xfmr.	BC	regnr
1935	IRC	St.Regis	661 Ingraham	Medium stepped-top tombstone	6	Xfmr.	2SW/BC	regnr
1936	IRC	St.Regis	666 Ingraham	Sheath w. tulip cut-out	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1936	IRC	St.Regis	761 Ingraham	Deco sweep coat	6	AC-DC	SW / BC	supht
1937	IRC	St.Regis	676 Ingraham	Sheath w. fret-work grille	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1937	IRC	St.Regis	Ingraham 676x	Sheath w. squares grille /	6	AC-DC	BC	supht
1938	IRC	St.Regis	Ingraham	Sheath w. louvres and inlays	4	AC-DC	BC	supht

NOTES

(1) Lahue, Kalton C. and Joseph A. Bailey, Glass, Brass & Chrome: The American 35mm Miniature Camera , University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, pp. 135

(2) Ann Arbor Observer , 1982

(3) Belanger, Brian, "Arbor Phone, Cavac, and International Radio (Kadette)," Radio Age , Vol 28, No. 10, October, 2003

(4) Ibid

(5) Hunt, Mary, A., "An Erratic Genius put Ann Arbor on the map," Ann Arbor Observer , Mar. 23, 1975

(6) Ibid.

(7) Ibid.

(8) Belanger, Brian, "Emerson - the Sequel," Radio Age , Vol 27 No. 10, October 2002

(9) "CAVAC Radio Plant Destroyed by Fire with loss $ 60,000," Ann Arbor Daily News , Jan. 6, 1931

(10) Ibid.

(11) Ann Arbor Observer , 1982

(12) Hunt

(13) Voor Hess, Alan, "International Corp. radio." Members.lycos.nl / radiojunk / kadette.html, accessed April 12, 2004

(14) Hunt

(15) The Baby Radio, " Fortune , pp.. 65th (Date unknown, circa 1936)

(16) Ann Arbor Observer , 1982

(17) Voor Hess

(18) Ann Arbor Observer , 1982

(19) Hunt

(20) Ibid.

(21) Ibid.

(22) Ibid.

(23) Voor Hess

(24) Ibid.

(25) Ann Arbor Observer , 1982

(26) Ibid.

(27) "Radio Division of International Firm Bought By Jackson," Ann Arbor News , July 9, 1939

(28) Ibid.

(29) Voor Hess

To thank the Author because you find the post helpful or well done.

Some minor corrections:

03.Mar.13 05:07

210 from 4663

Alan Scott Douglas † 16.11.15 (USA)
Articles: 49
Count of Thanks: 6

The footnotes for "Voor Hess" should be Alan Voorhees, whose writeup can be found at his Antique Radio Forum site antiqueradios.com.

Also there are some words out of order in your text as it appears here.

The first plastic-cased "pocket" radio was made in 1925 by the Auto Indicator Co.

There were clock radios before the Kadette models, and it's doubtful that any Kadettes were used as auto radios as there was no B supply.

The Duo models were marketed by Ben Abrams of Emerson, but I don't know the exact business connection. I presume Abrams was the sales agent for New York City. Within a couple of months of the Kadette's introduction in late 1932, Emerson was making its own AC/DC model and was very successful.

International's Chief Engineer Robert P. Wuerfel patented the AC/DC circuit (1,900,629) but it was eventually declared invalid in the 1940s, after RCA had purchased it. Minerva Radio Co. of Chicago had sold an AC/DC model many months before Wuerfel applied for his patent, and it's unclear how Wuerfel ever obtained the patent in the first place. The US Patent & Trademark Office claims to have lost the file wrapper for this patent (all the correspondence to and from Wuerfel).

To thank the Author because you find the post helpful or well done.