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Object: Radio
Place of origin: Southend on Sea (town) (manufactured)
Date: 1933
Designer: Chermayeff, Serge, born 1900 – died 1996 (designer)
E. K. Cole Ltd (manufacturer)
Materials: Moulded bakelite, chrome, celluloid
Museum: Victoria & Albert Museum
Detailed Description
The Radio (model AC74) designed by Serge Chermayeff (1900 – 1966) is beautifully designed with elegant rounded curves. It is stepped and undercut at the base of a vertical rectangular black plastic cabinet with rounded corners. A moulded, horizontal, spherical projection running from the rear of the cabinet and stopping short of the front is around a third of the way up on both sides; this projection is faced with chromed metal at the front. Such projections act as handles.
A comprehensive, circular loudspeaker aperture is located inside the top half of the front of the cabinet. It has a cloth covering and is recessed behind a black plastic grille. The grille’s horizontal components are faced with chrome. A horizontal rectangular tuning scale is below the loudspeaker and in line with both handles, with this scale horizontally subdivided into two small parts.
On translucent celluloid detachable strips, tuning marks are imprinted. A broad circular control knob with a serrated edge is below the scale, centrally located. The front of this knob is chrome-faced. A smaller knob with a similar style is to the right and left of this knob and in-line. There is an on/off switch directly below the central knob.
Sources
EKCO AC 74: Chermayeff, Serge. V&A Search the Collections. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121385/ekco-ac-74-radio-chermayeff-serge/.
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