The precise distinction between the 511 and 517 is often a source of confusion. The two models use
an identical chassis and cabinet style and were introduced at the same time, in early 1947, each with
a list price of $29.95. In the collecting community today the two numbers are often used interchange-
ably. So what is the truth? From my research, I've concluded that the 511 was originally offered in
early 1947 in only polished ivory and the 517 in only polished ebony, i.e. the two models were differ-
entiated solely by cabinet color. In the fall of 1947, additional 511 colors were introduced, namely
ivory, red and green, each with bronze (sometimes referred to as gold) marbling. Together with a 511
in standard walnut bakelite (I'm uncertain as to its exact time of introduction), this brought the total
number of 511 color combinations to 5, a fact often explicitly stated in advertisements for the 511 from
late 1947. The 517, it appears, remained available only in its original polished ebony.
Adding to the confusion, some early newspaper and magazine ads refer to the 511 and 517 as each
having been available in either polished ivory or ebony. Also, a few references to the 517 claim it to
have been offered in 5 colors. Was this all just the result of sloppy advertising, the distinctions
between the 511 and 517 becoming blurred in the minds of the copy writers? Or even at Emerson
itself? To be sure, I've found no references to an ebony 511 or ivory 517 in any ad featuring both
models; ads mentioning both ivory and ebony for the same model feature either just the 511 or the
517, not both. Ads from late 1947 that do show both side-by-side, refer to the 511 as being available
in 5 colors and the 517 with only an ebony finish. Surely, had there been an ebony 511 then the ads
would have claimed the 511 to have been available in six colors, not five (the five being walnut, ivory,
red wi' bronze, green wi' bronze & ivory wi' bronze).
Another twist is that I have a plain ivory plaskon model whose sticker, attached to the metallic bottom
cover, claims it to be a model 517. Could the cover have been swapped at some point, on what was
originally a model 511? It would appear so.
Variations in the 511 and 517 include models with grille colors other than gold. My ivory set (with the
ostensibly incorrect 517 markings) has a maroon grille. I have in fact seen both the 511 and 517 with
alternate grille colors, including gold, maroon and blue, so this would appear to be a characteristic of
both models and not a distinguishing characteristic of either.
Another variation is that some of the ivory sets are made of plaskon, whereas others use painted
bakelite. Again, I've found no consistent pattern that would suggest model differentiation on this basis.
As a final comment, it surely doesn't truly matter what the correct number is, for "a rose by any other
name would smell as sweet"...
an identical chassis and cabinet style and were introduced at the same time, in early 1947, each with
a list price of $29.95. In the collecting community today the two numbers are often used interchange-
ably. So what is the truth? From my research, I've concluded that the 511 was originally offered in
early 1947 in only polished ivory and the 517 in only polished ebony, i.e. the two models were differ-
entiated solely by cabinet color. In the fall of 1947, additional 511 colors were introduced, namely
ivory, red and green, each with bronze (sometimes referred to as gold) marbling. Together with a 511
in standard walnut bakelite (I'm uncertain as to its exact time of introduction), this brought the total
number of 511 color combinations to 5, a fact often explicitly stated in advertisements for the 511 from
late 1947. The 517, it appears, remained available only in its original polished ebony.
Adding to the confusion, some early newspaper and magazine ads refer to the 511 and 517 as each
having been available in either polished ivory or ebony. Also, a few references to the 517 claim it to
have been offered in 5 colors. Was this all just the result of sloppy advertising, the distinctions
between the 511 and 517 becoming blurred in the minds of the copy writers? Or even at Emerson
itself? To be sure, I've found no references to an ebony 511 or ivory 517 in any ad featuring both
models; ads mentioning both ivory and ebony for the same model feature either just the 511 or the
517, not both. Ads from late 1947 that do show both side-by-side, refer to the 511 as being available
in 5 colors and the 517 with only an ebony finish. Surely, had there been an ebony 511 then the ads
would have claimed the 511 to have been available in six colors, not five (the five being walnut, ivory,
red wi' bronze, green wi' bronze & ivory wi' bronze).
Another twist is that I have a plain ivory plaskon model whose sticker, attached to the metallic bottom
cover, claims it to be a model 517. Could the cover have been swapped at some point, on what was
originally a model 511? It would appear so.
Variations in the 511 and 517 include models with grille colors other than gold. My ivory set (with the
ostensibly incorrect 517 markings) has a maroon grille. I have in fact seen both the 511 and 517 with
alternate grille colors, including gold, maroon and blue, so this would appear to be a characteristic of
both models and not a distinguishing characteristic of either.
Another variation is that some of the ivory sets are made of plaskon, whereas others use painted
bakelite. Again, I've found no consistent pattern that would suggest model differentiation on this basis.
As a final comment, it surely doesn't truly matter what the correct number is, for "a rose by any other
name would smell as sweet"...
Emerson Model 511 "Moderne" Table Radios in Plaskon (1947/1948)
Emerson's model 511 "Moderne" is a very
collectible and eye-catching radio attrib-
uted to famous industrial designer Ray-
mond Loewy. My experience with this set,
and its sister model the 517, is that collec-
tors either love the unusual, slightly quirky
styling or they hate it. Needless to say, I
can be counted in the former category!
The 511 was introduced in ivory colored
plastic early in 1947 with a list price of
$29.95. The ebony colored 517, which
used the same cabinet style and chassis,
was introduced at the same time, also at
$29.95. Versions of the 511 in red, green
and ivory plaskon, with bronze marbling,
appeared later, in the fall, as part of Emer-
son's 1948 line-up, priced too at $29.95. A
walnut bakelite 511 was also offered, list-
ed at $27.95, bringing to 5 the total num-
ber of color combinations for the 511. The
517 remained available only in ebony. For
further discussion on the 511 versus the
517, see "Is it a 511 or 517?" below.
The radio covers standard broadcast from
540-1620kc. The examples shown here all
use a type-I chassis, with tubes 12SA7,
12SK7, 12SQ7, 50L6GT & 35Z5GT. Later
versions of the 511 and 517 employed a
less-common type-II chassis, using the
miniatures 12BE6, 12BA6, 12AT6, 50B5
and 35W4. The schematics may be found
here, courtesy of NostalgiaAir.
collectible and eye-catching radio attrib-
uted to famous industrial designer Ray-
mond Loewy. My experience with this set,
and its sister model the 517, is that collec-
tors either love the unusual, slightly quirky
styling or they hate it. Needless to say, I
can be counted in the former category!
The 511 was introduced in ivory colored
plastic early in 1947 with a list price of
$29.95. The ebony colored 517, which
used the same cabinet style and chassis,
was introduced at the same time, also at
$29.95. Versions of the 511 in red, green
and ivory plaskon, with bronze marbling,
appeared later, in the fall, as part of Emer-
son's 1948 line-up, priced too at $29.95. A
walnut bakelite 511 was also offered, list-
ed at $27.95, bringing to 5 the total num-
ber of color combinations for the 511. The
517 remained available only in ebony. For
further discussion on the 511 versus the
517, see "Is it a 511 or 517?" below.
The radio covers standard broadcast from
540-1620kc. The examples shown here all
use a type-I chassis, with tubes 12SA7,
12SK7, 12SQ7, 50L6GT & 35Z5GT. Later
versions of the 511 and 517 employed a
less-common type-II chassis, using the
miniatures 12BE6, 12BA6, 12AT6, 50B5
and 35W4. The schematics may be found
here, courtesy of NostalgiaAir.
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Copyright TubeRadioLand.com
Superbly designed - inside and out - to give you real tone, performance and value satisfaction
Modern plastic cabinet.. of exquisite styling with three-dimensional dial.
lovely bronze-ivory marble-tone cabinet - it's a sight to behold!
| Is It a 511 or 517? |
Sparkling - and modern as tomorrow.
| Cutting from a Dec 1947 newspaper ad for Emerson radios that showed the 511 and 517 side-by-side in the same ad. |
| Emerson 511 ad from feb 1947, referencing polished ivory finish |
| Was the 517 truly available in ivory, as implied by this ad from April of 1947? |
