There are those who feel that any restoration is undesirable. Removing an original capacitor, resistor or tube that was installed by a 1920s assembly line worker is sacrilegious, tantamount to defacing a piece of history. I might even agree with this philosophy for a few rare and extremely significant examples of the technology. A wireless set used to receive the Titanic’s distress call from one of the coastal shore stations on that fateful night belongs in a museum, unmodified in any way. The fact that it may or may not still work is of little consequence. I probably would not do too much to one of the seven or so remaining Andrea TVs demonstrated at the 1939 Worlds Fair, were I to get my hands on one. Beyond examples of this nature, radios, unlike a painting or sculpture were meant to be seen AND heard. Take a 1920s Atwater Kent breadboard to a school for part of a “life in the roaring ‘20s” exhibit and the students will think that it is cool. Turn it on and let them hear it and they will find it fascinating. I’ll look at the two aspects of radio restoration, cabinet and electronics.

First the cabinet. I tend to lean on the side of the appraiser who did not think that the Victorian table should have been restored. I try to leave a cabinet as original as possible. If there is no damage, the normal wear and the patina that has developed over the years probably adds substantial value to the piece. If there is significant damage, then I will go for a restoration. An RCA in a highboy cabinet will not display well if it has a leg missing. Its value will be substantially increased if the leg is replaced with a quality reproduction that has been aged by a skillful cabinet maker. Peeling veneer, missing trim pieces, missing knobs etc, will all detract from esthetics and value of a radio and should be repaired or replaced. When I do perform a cabinet restoration, I try to use materials which will best restore the set to original appearance. This may include reproduction grill cloth or using the same type of finish as was used when the set was manufactured. Never use a modern polymer varnish, it will be obvious and take away from the value of the piece. Cleaning is OK if it does not alter the patina of the aged finish. Polishing a catalin radio back to its original splendor seems to be the norm with most collectors. I would leave a slightly discolored plastic faceplate alone, but would replace one that was cracked or so badly yellowed that the dial could no longer be seen.

Second, is what to do with the “innards”. I consider what the radio will be used for and will be influenced by the value or rarity of the set. There are two ways to look at a chassis restoration. If the radio is a common model, and either I or the end user plans to enjoy it on a frequent basis, then I will simply replace defective components as well as ones which might fail from age with modern off the shelf equivalents. The average collector and user will never see the bottom side of the chassis anyway. If the radio is a rare piece, or a “holy grail” radio such as a Fada Bullet , Motorola 50 XC or an Atwater Kent breadboard, then the approach will be different. For the breadboard, the only way to go is with working original or NOS (New Old Stock) parts. This might require a bit of foot work, internet shopping, and some cash to find a needed part. With rare cabinet radios, some working NOS parts are almost nonexistent. This is because some parts such as waxed paper capacitors and electrolytic capacitors deteriorate with age, even if not used. To maintain original appearance, a serious restorer will pry open an old capacitor, remove the old contents, then insert a modern component in the original case. The part is then closed up and resealed with bee’s wax. Done properly, the component retains its original appearance. There are a lot of high quality reproduction components available such as cloth covered line cords with modern, safe plastic insulation inside. Grill cloth, knobs, and NOS tubes are all available. I also add a couple of safety improvements. One is the addition of a fuse, and another is a line cord bushing to prevent the cord from being pulled out of the set.

Some things are definitely out. Trying to replace tubes with transistors, contact paper over worn veneer, or putting a modern chassis in a vintage cabinet are all tacky and will result in a radio that is of little or no value.

My best advice is to do what you are comfortable with if you want to restore a radio. If you are good with the electronics, take the cabinet to a furniture restorer. Likewise, if woodworking is your cup of tea, then find a technician who is competent and familiar with vintage electronics to help with the chassis.