| What's in a Name (or model number)? |
Sparton Model 566 (506) "Bluebird" Blue Mirror Radio (1935/1936)
The celebrated Sparton "Bluebird" 566 glass mirror
radio was one of a group of four Sparton sets for 1936
styled by noted industrial designer Walter Dorwin
Teague. They were unveiled at the National Electrical &
Radio Exposition held in New York's Grand Central
Palace during September of 1935, following several
months of tantalizing build up in the media. Prior to the
show, Sparton announced that their '36 line would con-
sist of two lines; the regular line already introduced that
June and the "sensational" Teague line, comprising
four sets to be unveiled at the Sparton show exhibit on
September 18th.
As well as the 566, the Teague ensemble for 1936
included the highly coveted Nocturne, truly one of the
holy grails of radio collecting. Teague is credited with
having designed several more fabulous Sparton sets
over the course of the next several years, including the
models 557, 558 and 409GL.
What impression was designer Teague attempting to
convey with the 566? Some have whimsically likened
the radio to a tri-plane, with a spinning propeller and
landing gear, flying against a clear blue sky. It's an idea
that's easy to go along with! However, the words from a
Sparton brochure featuring the Nocturne and Bluebird
furnish us with some more authentic insights regarding
its conception. These words play as follows:-
radio was one of a group of four Sparton sets for 1936
styled by noted industrial designer Walter Dorwin
Teague. They were unveiled at the National Electrical &
Radio Exposition held in New York's Grand Central
Palace during September of 1935, following several
months of tantalizing build up in the media. Prior to the
show, Sparton announced that their '36 line would con-
sist of two lines; the regular line already introduced that
June and the "sensational" Teague line, comprising
four sets to be unveiled at the Sparton show exhibit on
September 18th.
As well as the 566, the Teague ensemble for 1936
included the highly coveted Nocturne, truly one of the
holy grails of radio collecting. Teague is credited with
having designed several more fabulous Sparton sets
over the course of the next several years, including the
models 557, 558 and 409GL.
What impression was designer Teague attempting to
convey with the 566? Some have whimsically likened
the radio to a tri-plane, with a spinning propeller and
landing gear, flying against a clear blue sky. It's an idea
that's easy to go along with! However, the words from a
Sparton brochure featuring the Nocturne and Bluebird
furnish us with some more authentic insights regarding
its conception. These words play as follows:-
The Bluebird is occasionally seen today sitting atop a 14" round plateau mirror made from matching circular blue glass. Early advertising almost
always shows the Bluebird with this mirror present, though most of them today unfortunately turn up without it. The original purchase price of the
Bluebird, based upon newspaper advertising, was around $39.95 - $44.50. The plateau had to be ordered separately. I have yet to find an official
Sparton price schedule showing this set, and Radio Retailing, normally a reliable source of radio pricing data, is strangely mute on the topic.
The 566 was available in peach/copper tinted glass as well as blue, with copper-toned trim rather than chrome. These models have become (and
perhaps originally were) known as "peachbirds". While on the topic of variations, there is a Canadian variant (model 154B) that features a peaked
cab housing an upward rather than forward-facing loudspeaker. Apparently Canada had more stringent safety requirements than the USA at the
time, necessitating the employment of an ac-powered chassis with a power transformer - the accommodation of which forced the use of the larger
cab and re-oriented loudspeaker. Yet another Canadian variant turned up at the Ed Sage radio auction in November of 2005, constructed using
non-tinted mirror glass. However, I have no information as to the authenticity of this set.
These mirror radios present a unique challenge to the photographer in that their appearance changes with the ambient lighting, aside from the
issue of unwanted reflections! This very same characteristic also makes the radios interesting to live with. Here's another view of mine.
always shows the Bluebird with this mirror present, though most of them today unfortunately turn up without it. The original purchase price of the
Bluebird, based upon newspaper advertising, was around $39.95 - $44.50. The plateau had to be ordered separately. I have yet to find an official
Sparton price schedule showing this set, and Radio Retailing, normally a reliable source of radio pricing data, is strangely mute on the topic.
The 566 was available in peach/copper tinted glass as well as blue, with copper-toned trim rather than chrome. These models have become (and
perhaps originally were) known as "peachbirds". While on the topic of variations, there is a Canadian variant (model 154B) that features a peaked
cab housing an upward rather than forward-facing loudspeaker. Apparently Canada had more stringent safety requirements than the USA at the
time, necessitating the employment of an ac-powered chassis with a power transformer - the accommodation of which forced the use of the larger
cab and re-oriented loudspeaker. Yet another Canadian variant turned up at the Ed Sage radio auction in November of 2005, constructed using
non-tinted mirror glass. However, I have no information as to the authenticity of this set.
These mirror radios present a unique challenge to the photographer in that their appearance changes with the ambient lighting, aside from the
issue of unwanted reflections! This very same characteristic also makes the radios interesting to live with. Here's another view of mine.
The radio itself, housed in the rear cab with a forwards facing loud-
speaker, features a modest ac/dc powered super-heterodyne chassis
covering standard broadcast and shortwave. The band-switch is found
at the rear. Tube line-up is 78 (LO/mixer), 78 (IF), 75 (2nd detector/
AGC/1st AF), 43 (AF output), 25Z5 (rectifier). A resistive "curtain
burner" line cord is employed. The 506/566 schematic is available here.
speaker, features a modest ac/dc powered super-heterodyne chassis
covering standard broadcast and shortwave. The band-switch is found
at the rear. Tube line-up is 78 (LO/mixer), 78 (IF), 75 (2nd detector/
AGC/1st AF), 43 (AF output), 25Z5 (rectifier). A resistive "curtain
burner" line cord is employed. The 506/566 schematic is available here.
..beautiful circle of rich, dark, midnight blue mirror surface slants backwards at an artistically correct angle..
..concealing a dependable five-tube radio receiver of finest design and construction.
"The repertoire of the Bluebird embraces not only the usual broadcast programs, but interesting
police, airplane and amateur events as well."
police, airplane and amateur events as well."
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| Technical Details |
| So is it a model 506 or 566? Were there in fact two versions? One often sees the Bluebird referred to in guidebooks and on internet sites as the model 506. I have even read elaborate discourses arguing how there were two versions of the bluebird, the 506 and 566, the latter being an up- graded version of the former. So what is the real story here? It is my belief that the truth of the matter is that the Bluebird only came as the model 566, and that all references to it as model 506 are in fact misinformed. Not only did Sparton "proudly announce Bluebird Model 566" in one of their brochures (see extract above) but there is also the matter of their approach to model numbering. In June of 1935 they announced to the world their line of 1936 "regular" models, the entry level set being the model 506, a small 5-tube ornamental mantel set priced at $29.95, the cabinet being made entirely out of wood. Later, that September, in New York, they unveiled their "Teague" line, comprising four upscale models, one of which was the Bluebird. Now, Sparton's model numbering system at that time used the number of tubes as the first number, a model identifier as the second, and the last digit of the model year as the third. Key here is the fact that the second number was chosen to create a unique identifier, ensuring that no two models ended up with the same number. Thus, the 5-tube 1936 mantel set was the 506 and the 5-tube 1936 Bluebird the 566. Exactly how the middle number was allocated remains a mystery, but the main point is that it was always chosen to make the number unique to a given model. I think the confusion over numbering arises from the fact that the Bluebird uses the very same 5-tube chassis as the model 506 mantel radio, a set that is mostly unknown today, being rarer even than the Bluebird. Furthermore, the Riders manuals do not show a schematic labelled with 566, so vintage radio aficionados, often lacking any other means of identification, have come to associate the numbers 506 with the Bluebird. To make matters worse, most (but not all) advertising for the 566 simply refers to it as "Bluebird" without showing a model number. My set sports an original rear cover stamped with "566 Bluebird", as seen in the photo below. However, the covers are often missing or the markings are indistinct on sets that turn up today. I should add that ALL the readable cover stamps that I recall having seen were marked 566. One other point, the Riders master index does list the 566, but it points to the 506 page, (Sparton 6.7), for the schematic. |
| "SO OUT OF the ordinary, so daringly distinctive was Sparton's midnight blue Nocturne that the desire to own was immediate. Size and price, in many cases, however outweighed immediate action on that desire. Believing from this, that a radio receiver much smaller in size but incorporating the glass and metal motif created for us by Walter Dorwin Teague would quickly awaken this desire Sparton now proudly announces Bluebird Model 566. Created with the same artistry as the larger model and employing the same unusual combination of crystal, chrome and metal while not an actual reproduction in miniature its appointments harmonize so well that its appeal is instantaneous. Sparton's Bluebird emphasizes a fourteen-inch circle of deepest midnight blue mirror glass. Set into this slightly below center is a chrome circlet the border for a silvery speaker grille which is the field for a second chrome circle that holds an illuminated dial. Three controls blend perfectly into the outer chrome ring. The ensemble rests at a slight tilting angle upon two ebony balls. Although strikingly beautiful by itself its smartness is accentuated when it rests on a fourteen-inch round midnight blue plateau mirror, which must be ordered separately" |
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