Ozarka, J. Matheson Bell etc. - some history

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Ozarka, J. Matheson Bell etc. - some history

30.Jan.11 14:14

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Ernst Erb (CH)
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I have a nice eMail contact with Don Patterson, a very well informed collector who has specialized in Ozarka. For later being able to write an article I copy his texts to me - until it gives a complete picture. Maybe we get even his articles he published in his "Radio Age" - but somebody would have to do the copying work ...

I am going to scan the ad Matheson Bell said about his bankruptcy. Up until the creditors moved in he made all of the chassis in his factory. I am not sure if Radiolek made any for him or not as none of the schematics for Radiolek match anything he sold under his name. With the V-6 there was no mention of Ozarka but there is an slanted "O" on the left of the nameplate and a slanted "A" on the right side.but the Escutcheons on the V Series do say Ozarka but the chassis don't. The Viking chassis were made by him at the Chicago factory as the literature says so. When the creditors took over in late 1932 Radiolek bought the building and equipment. Matheson bell moved out and started his own company marketed his own radios under his name and I have some of that literature and am going to compile it soon.

MORE ON OZARKA

By Don Patterson

For those that haven’t read the back issues of “Radio Age”, let me give you a five minute refresher course. J.Matheson Bell was a Vice President of Montgomery Wards in 1922 but he left the company to form his own radio firm which he called Ozarka. The early sets were made by Tri-City Radio Company and he sold these through door to door salesman offering them a chance at their own business. He published a weekly newsletter to let them know what was coming and how to sell these radios and literally pump them up for success. Sometime in 1924 he managed to sell stock and raise money to establish his own manufacturing facility. At its peak in 1930 he boasted nearly 7000 salesmen. They were told that they were the exclusive dealer and they did not sell to department stores who would compete against them or so I thought. Recently I got an original 1924 Montgomery Wards Radio Catalog and there right smack dab towards the front was an Ozarka portable ( Figure 1) . Compare this with the photo in Fig 2 from the Ozarka literature. When he ran into financial problems in 1931 he reneged , for sure, on his promise as I have letters from salesmen complaining about this competition.. He tried to reassure them that it would not hurt their business.

Trouble began to brew. In 1931 he sold Ozarka Model 91 and 92 chassis to Krohler and other brands as well as complete sets to department stores in Detroit and other major cities. In 1932 he managed to get the V6, V8, V10 and V16 sets out but before the year was out but creditors foreclosed on his debt and he was forced out of business. This explains why you see so few of the “V” series. I have owned or seen only the V6 and V16 sets.

Within three months he reopened under the name of J. Matheson Bell Radio Company at 1257 Fullerton Avenue in Chicago not far from his previous factory.

I won’t get into this phase of his radio ventures but will do so in a later edition.

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