![]() ![]() In 1938 Zenith released several models of 12-tube table radios with what Zenith referred to as their “Robot Dial.” The Zenith robot dial was equipped with a tuning eye tube that indicated signal strength of a station and in several models the dials were motorized. Even a Z-1000 in unrestored condition could easily sell for well over $10,000.Īdvertisement for the new Zenith “Robot Dial.” Z-1000 Stratospheres have been sold as high as $50,000 in recent years. Once in a while another is found and the news of it travels quickly through the antique-radio-collecting community. The whereabouts of around 50 are known today. Sales of the Stratosphere began in late 1934, and records indicate that only 350 were ever produced. Sporting a large round black dial with sliding doors, the Z-1000 radio chassis contained 25 vacuum tubes and even though it was unseen, had a mirror chrome finish. An original 1930s chalkware cat matching the statues in the advertisements could easily sell for a few hundred dollars by itself. Today collectors lucky enough to have a Stratosphere in their collection usually display it with a similar cat figurine. The statue was most likely a prop and was never given out as a promotion with the radio as some rumors over the years have suggested. The cabinet itself was over 52 inches tall with wood inlays and is a grand example of true mid ‘30s Art Deco design.Īdvertisement for the top-of-the-line Zenith Stratosphere.Īs seen in the ad above, some of the original advertisements for the Stratosphere featured a chalk ware cat figurine sitting on the shelf. The Stratosphere consisted of a large floor-standing cabinet with a concave shelf on the bottom. It sold for $750, which was higher than the average price of a new car in the mid 1930s. The Zenith Z-1000 Stratosphere was Zeniths top of the line and marketed as a rich man’s radio. Today, one Zenith model in particular is regarded as the most sought after antique radio on the planet. By the 1930s, Zenith had several large factories in the Chicago area, producing radio chassis, cabinets, and other electronics. ![]() Zenith was founded in 1923 and quickly became one of the world’s largest radio manufactures. By far some of the most sought after and valuable radios found in today's collectors market were manufactured by the Zenith Radio Corporation. ![]()
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