International Detrola Radio & Television Corporation 1931 - 1947

[Single Frame Films]

Researching the history of this venerated radio & camera company. Looking for any advertisements, print, documents, recollections & audio radio advertisements.
Single Frame Films

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[Danny]

Detrola, did make lots of their radio sets in those days. If it wasn't for the sudden lawsuit from Hazeltine Corps. about the a device that control the T.V. airways. Detrola would be been the leading production of all forms of mass media technology in the world. And of course Detrola's WHQ's would be in Downtown Detroit occupying the Penobscot Building and later building a 100 story new WHQ where the Hudson Block used to be. Detrola would been owning WXYZ- ABC 7 TV and stay in Downtown Detroit. And all way to making movies, cable and streaming.

[lpg]

One of my old neighbors worked there during WW2 making mine detectors. My aunt worked there just after the war and I have the radio she bought there. Model 571.

[Honky Tonk]

One of my old neighbors worked there during WW2 making mine detectors. My aunt worked there just after the war and I have the radio she bought there. Model 571.

Post a picture if you can, I'd like to see it. [not that I don't believe you]

[lpg]

[13606Cedargrove]

The quality and workmanship of common household goods from that era is remarkable.

[Honky Tonk]

Beautiful piece of gear. You might want to get the tuner section aligned and maybe re-tube it.

[5939DT]

The straight-up-script logo looks similar to the Motorola logo of the same era - were the companies associated?

It likely should have the capacitors and resistors checked, if they haven't been recently. Capacitors can get leaky when old, possibly damaging transformers and/or tubes or in extreme cases causing a shock hazard. Resistors can rise in value causing other nonideal operation.
There are a few youtube channels of people fixing up old radios; even if you aren't an electronics geek they can be entertaining.

[13606Cedargrove]

I would try to get the electronics restored first. It that can be done, I would carefully consider perhaps not restoring the case. It has a beautiful patina just as it is. Simple cleaning looks like all it needs cosmetically. Antiques and collectibles are only original once.

[slick]

[QUOTE=5939DT;617933]The straight-up-script logo looks similar to the Motorola logo of the same era - were the companies associated?

Many companies added O L A to their name during that era.

Good luck on the electronics, you may have to rebuild the entire unit. Remove the electronics and mount an MP3 player.

[Jimaz]

The straight-up-script logo looks similar to the Motorola logo of the same era - were the companies associated?...

[Detrola] sold off its thriving auto radio manufacturing business to Motorola in the summer of 1948, then stopped all manufacturing later in 1948.

[townonenorth]

[bust]

I think my grandmother gave me one of these -- portable, turquoise, bakelite, with an antenna you could rotate like a propeller on top inside the handle. It was from that radio I really started to listen to music, and into a Sears over the air recorded my first mix tapes. It was probably sold in a garage sale for less than a couple dollars. In a brief search I couldn't verify it.

[Jimaz]

...Many companies added O L A to their name during that era....

I Googled "ola suffix" and found this interesting tidbit: "The Continuing story of -ola."

The author mentions:

• payola
• Shinola
• crapola
• Crayola
• Laundrola
• Pianola
• Victrola
• ghostola
• royalola
• plugola
• Clarkola

Pianola, the earliest relevant term, was registered as a trademark in 1900, followed by Victrola in 1906.

There's little reference to the true meaning of "-ola" as a suffix. Apparently it was mostly a marketing gimmick — an attempt to establish a footprint in the consumer's mind.

[beachboy]

It likely should have the capacitors and resistors checked, if they haven't been recently. [...] There are a few youtube channels of people fixing up old radios; even if you aren't an electronics geek they can be entertaining.

Several Facebook groups, too ... enter "Antique Radio" or "Vintage Radio" in the FB search window. Nice people ... can help you with concepts, techniques, getting parts, etc.

BTW ... you have a lovely piece of Americana - don't remove the electronics, just restore carefully and it could be valuable.

[jiminnm]

You might be interested in this site.
https://radioattic.com/group_sold.ht...cturer=Detrola

[5939DT]

And here's someone fixing up a 1946 ValKeen/Detrola Model 572 radio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdD7M4hvVSM

Note how he has replaced nearly all of the capacitors [[one of which was causing distorted audio) and many of the resistors.

Who thinks that their iphone will still work when it is 75 years old?

[enio]

Detrola was only in business for a short period of time, yet they were able to feature a suprisingly large
line of cameras. Too bad they decided to go into the camera business in 1940. Timing is everything.

Today, some of them are fairly valuable, The second camera, a Detrola 400, is something of a collectors item commanding $1,000 - $2,000.