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 a 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 wide, 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/.
Serge Chermayeff in our Partner Stores
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