Vintage Pilot radio- 1939

Hi all, I’ve had this beautiful vintage radio for few years (in storage) Model T-1660. I did research it at the time but could only find one (radio museum)source of information (but with very good info) The year of manufacturing is stated as 1939?

Tried searching again but still only found this reference:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/pilot_t_1660.html

(the museum one is part of a collection owned by a Mr Daniel Gay)

Does anyone perhaps know of a another source of information on this model? I was wondering if this model was maybe part a very limited or short production run?

Thanks for any comments and keep well

 

It's missing a front panel, isn't it?

Debora

 

Hi Debora,no I don’t think so. I think mine is just in a better/cleaner condition than the museum one.

 

Are you sure the caning is original? (I ask because it looks like it's out of period and doesn't have any acoustical value.)

Debora

 

Going to try and get a email adress for Mr Gay and ask him.

 

I would presume so? But I could only find photos of mine and the museum one so far to compare (which does seems odd) Maybe Iam searching wrong?

It’s in beautiful condition. Perhaps it has been refurbished? Caning a replacement (that could be)

 

Appreciate the comment. Thanks

 

I had it for many years so I can’t go back to ask the seller. But thinking that it’s been refurbished at some stage does explain the condition of it. So maybe the canning was a replacement thing?

 

Ha ha,I have always like the caning front face

 

The year is in line with the following schematic information. The model T-1664 schematic says it is prior to June 1940, and at the bottom of the page there is the T-1660 number on that T-1664 schematic.

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/PagesByModel/582/M0014582.pdf

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/309/T0000309.htm

 

I see that the no. On the schematic. Interesting. Thank you for the reply and links.

 

Couldn’t find T-1660 on the model list. Just T- 1664. Maybe it was also called something else?

 

I just noticed that the smaller information on the right gives the date of the T-1660 schematic creation as November 1939. Your radio may have had a very short production run if it was replace by the T-1664, or the T-1664 just used the same works in a new case.

 

Great research and well spotted! Thanks for the follow- up information and the confirmation regarding the 1939 date. A short production run makes sense.

I have e-mailed Phil from Phil’s Old Radios. He has a great collection and is surely very knowledgeable. I will post any information if I get a reply.