Radiophile.com - Crosley 628-B

Crosley 628-B, "The Sixer," 1939

Approximately 11-3/8 inches / 29 cm wide.

Tube complement: 6A8G mixer/oscillator, 6U7G IF, 6P5G detector, 6F5G 1st audio, 6K6G audio output, 2W3 rectifier.

Molded into the Bakelite, on the inside front of the case (visible only when the radio is disassembled), is a capital letter 'F.' This would be unremarkable, except for the fact that the F is rendered in the unusual and distinctive typeface used by Firestone. I'm not aware of any connection between Crosley and Firestone. Crosley was a "real" manufacturer that made its own radios; Firestone was a house brand, manufactured by Belmont and other OEM suppliers. I would welcome any comments or explanations for this alien F.

Flash! Famous plastic-radio collector and expert Steve T. Davis has suggested that the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. may have been a plastics supplier, in addition to a consumer of OEM radios. So we may have a case here of Firestone buying completed radios from other manufacturers to sell under the Firestone name, and also making Bakelite radio cabinets for Crosley.

Above, the chassis. At left, from a November 1938 Crosley advertisement. (The ivory set mentioned was painted Bakelite. I've never seen a red Sixer, so I'm left to assume its red color was painted on too.)