Advice on collecting catalin radios. Catalin radios are probably the hottest thing in antique radio collecting today. The beauty of catalin plastic lies in its translucent appearance, giving warmth and depth to its swirling marbleized appearance. It retains, or easily polishes back to its glass like luster. It was often cast into brightly colored cheerful radios with an art deco or modernistic motif. The rareness of catalin radios greatly increases their value. Why are they so rare and valuable compared to other vintage radios, after all, tens of thousands of them were manufactured? Read on. First of all, no two catalin radios are the same. The swirl pattern of each cabinet is as unique as a fingerprint. Catalin is not without faults. It has poor thermal expansion and contraction qualities, often resulting in cracks and distortion from being too tightly fit to a metal radio chassis. It oxidizes causing the once brilliant colors to darken with age. If stored in a hot environment such as an attic it tends to shrink, causing sever distortion and/or cracking. Some tubes get quite hot and if the original heat shielding is lost or damaged, “tube burns” can occur to the cabinet. Catalin can be damaged by continuous exposure to water or dampness. A radio stored in a garage or attic with a roof leak may have part of the cabinet actually dissolve. In a damp basement, mold and mildew can eat into catalin and destroy it. All of the above combine to make finding a mint condition radio a rare find indeed! Subject to the law of supply and demand, this makes such a radio a valuable find. Catalin radios range in price between a few hundred dollars up to twenty five thousand dollars. Ain’t nothin’ like the real thing, baby! There are a few radios made from plaskon, bakelite or other plastics that may be brightly colored or even marbleized to resemble catalin. So how do you distinguish between the real thing and an imitation? First and foremost study and familiarize your self with models known to be made from catalin. There are a number of collector’s books dedicated to the subject and most have plenty of pictures of catalin models. The reference gallery at the catalinradio.com website is also a good place to start. Second, carry a small bottle of the cleaning product Fantastic, and a couple of cotton swabs. If you are interested in purchasing an unfamiliar catalin set, one not easily identified in a guide book or website, you can perform the “fantastic test”. Most knowledgeable collectors and dealers will allow you to perform this test as it does no harm to the radio. Dampen the swab with Fantastic cleaner and gently rub the cabinet in an inconspicuous location, such as inside or on the bottom. Aside from dirt, the cleaner will dissolve a molecularly thin layer of catalin, turning the swab the color of the cabinet. plaskon, bakelite and pvc plastics will not shed color, whereas catalin will. This will not harm the radio. In fact, the preferred method for restoring oxidized catalin is to wash it several times with a soft cloth and Fantastic, then rinse it with lukewarm (never hot) water. Dry it, next polish with an oxidation preventing car wax. This will restore the radio to its original glass like splendor. Never use a rubbing compound on catalin as it will leave swirl lines or dull the finish. Real catalin radios are pre World War II. Some manufacturers tried to revive the look post war when the technique for creating swirl colored plastics was more refined. If you happen upon a set with miniature 7 and 9 pin tubes, it probably is not the real thing. Since Catalin does not use reinforcing fibers, is usually thicker than plaskon. It also has a distinct sound when you tap on it as compared to bakelite or plaskon. You will need to tap on a few of them to learn this though. Use your knuckes, not fingernails so that you won’t damage or scratch the fine surface. Always examine the radio carefully for cracks, especially near the mounting screws, knob holes and near bends and corners. Although a small crack on the bottom won’t detract from how your radio displays, it does substantially affect the value and cracks can spread. The presence of original factory stickers on the back and bottom increase the value. Almost all of the electronic parts can still be found, so a catalin radio with a good cabinet will not be substantially devalued by a non working chassis. The first thing that you will want to do if you buy a catalin radio is loosen the chassis mounting screws slightly. This will reduce the chance of cracking by allowing some free movement during temperature changes. Inspect the radio for the presence of asbestos heat shields, usually found above hot tubes. Refer to my article “hazards of the hobby” on how to deal with this if present. Don’t operate a catalin set with missing heat shields, the heat from the tubes, particularly the audio output and rectifier tubes, will rapidly and permanently discolor the cabinet. Restoration of the chassis is no different than any other radio, but because of the high value of these rare sets, you will want to do the highest quality work that you can. If you buy a catalin radio from an online auction or dealer, remember to request shipping insurance. Let the fact that "catalin" and "cracks" both start with the letter C, help to remind you why. Finally, store, transport or display your radio in an environment that will not damage it. Extremes of humidity and temperature should be avoided, as should exposure to direct sunlight. An few hours in a hot car can easily ruin one of these radios. If you have comments and and info that you would like to share, please e-mail me.