HMV

A green example was picked up in the Tyab haul in January 2021.

The cabinet is quite damaged. About half is heat from frying valves, while the remainder is from a couple of big drops from a big height. Nonetheless, the face plate and rear cover maybe retrievable.

I have not checked the electrical integrity of the green one.

With lockdown over for now, I was able to collect a couple more HMV 62-52s from Port Melbourne.

They look good electrically - not tested. More so the Burgundy set which has had work in its history. Cream set has been very hot at some stage, but there is no evidence of repair.

Serial numbers and variations are interesting.

The cream set looks like an early build, S/N 3504. It has a covered cut out for the power cord, and a hole for the Pick Up. Parts are dated 1955.

The Burgandy set is from late 1957 and is numbered 42236. There were vinyl covered electrolytic caps in this radio.

Cosmetically, the Burgandy set is in much better condition with all the original screws present. There are no repairs to the cabinet, and the backs fits well. This suggests that it hasn't ever overheated. However, there is a couple of wide scratches on the top. These should polish out OK with a bit of luck.

The Cream set is in far poorer condition with plenty of scratches and cracks. Nonetheless, the faceplate has no cracking or crazing around the knobs which is a common problem with these cabinets, the same applies to the very similar Astors of the period.

Both radios have all four knobs in great condition, they even have what looks like the original felts. The felts are hard and stained, but they are there!

I have since restored the Burgandy radio. Itlooks and works a treat all polished up.

Most of the work undertaken was with the capacitors, and a dead resistor. It needed very little in the way of alignment. Sound is good with the large oval speaker.

This radio is for sale.

See also the 63-53 clock radio from 1956.

• Yellow front view showing undamaged front panel but badly damaged case.
• Closeup of of main damage, the side is cracked also.
• Chassis revealing a number of overheated components.
• A melted capacitor.
• Yellow knobs showing "original" felts.
• Burgandy front. No damage.
• Inside the front, many years of dust.
• Rear of chassis, not date stamps on transformer and coils.
• Underside of chassis showing much newer design of components.

Left is a nicely restored Kelvinator version. (Essentially the same except the HMV has horizontal lines. The Astor BJP uses a very very similar cabinet.)