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"Reflections of Hollywood" Blue Mirror Radio (circa 1936)
This small blue mirror and chrome radio
from the mid-1930s is similar to the
"Reflections of Hollywood" models that sold
at the Estes mirrored radios auction held in
November of 2005. It was manufactured in
Los Angeles by one of the small indepen-
dent "boutique" radio assembly shops that
served the largely custom niche markets
that existed at the time. The chassis and
escutcheons would have been purchased
from a local manufacturer or distributor.
The cabinet is comprised of a plywood
shell faced on four sides with custom made
mirrors of blue Galena glass, retained in
place by chrome accented strips. Custom
glass knobs complete the appointments.
The grille cloth on my set is a replacement
and one of the original glass knob inserts
is missing. However, I digitally added it in
the photograph.
The chassis is similar to an Edison-Bell 53.
from the mid-1930s is similar to the
"Reflections of Hollywood" models that sold
at the Estes mirrored radios auction held in
November of 2005. It was manufactured in
Los Angeles by one of the small indepen-
dent "boutique" radio assembly shops that
served the largely custom niche markets
that existed at the time. The chassis and
escutcheons would have been purchased
from a local manufacturer or distributor.
The cabinet is comprised of a plywood
shell faced on four sides with custom made
mirrors of blue Galena glass, retained in
place by chrome accented strips. Custom
glass knobs complete the appointments.
The grille cloth on my set is a replacement
and one of the original glass knob inserts
is missing. However, I digitally added it in
the photograph.
The chassis is similar to an Edison-Bell 53.
Photos of the set with the front mirror removed are shown below. The cut-outs for the escutcheons look home brew and were probably
added or enlarged after the cabinet was manufactured. The original grille cloth was glued to the rear of the front mirror as seen in the
lower right photograph (fragments of the cloth can be seen still attached to the mirror to the left). Over time, the glue had a tendency to
mar the silvering on the mirror, and not wanting to exacerbate this nor to attempt removal of the old cloth and glue remnants, I chose to
attach the replacement cloth to the wooden front panel. Note that the words "SELECTOR" and "VOLUME" seen on the escutcheons in the
photo below left are concealed by the silvering of the front mirror once it is mounted. This indicates that the escutcheons were originally
manufactured for some other radio and that they were simply procured and used "as is" for this set. Interestingly, the escutcheons are
marked with the words "Kennedy, LA".
added or enlarged after the cabinet was manufactured. The original grille cloth was glued to the rear of the front mirror as seen in the
lower right photograph (fragments of the cloth can be seen still attached to the mirror to the left). Over time, the glue had a tendency to
mar the silvering on the mirror, and not wanting to exacerbate this nor to attempt removal of the old cloth and glue remnants, I chose to
attach the replacement cloth to the wooden front panel. Note that the words "SELECTOR" and "VOLUME" seen on the escutcheons in the
photo below left are concealed by the silvering of the front mirror once it is mounted. This indicates that the escutcheons were originally
manufactured for some other radio and that they were simply procured and used "as is" for this set. Interestingly, the escutcheons are
marked with the words "Kennedy, LA".