Marconi P20B

Marconi - probably the most well known name in radio. This section is very short though, as I don't collect Marconi radios. A collector cannot acquire examples from every marque, it would be just too expensive. Perhaps an even greater problem is storage, and unless one wants to end up with a warehouse with radios stacked with the result that most are invisible, one has to specialise to a greater or lesser degree. As can be seen from this site I've concentrated on Murphy and Ekco (and GEC), and thereafter have all the most significant receivers from the other manufacturers. Marconi is a big name, but for all its size and partnerships via EMI, didn't make too many truly innovative receivers. 

Here on this page is perhaps one of them, the P20B from 1948. This receiver is small, it measures just 7"x 5"x 3". Back then that meant that the P20B was one of the most compact receivers available. It is battery only, and is housed in a die-cast metal body that is covered in "snakeskin". The top and bottom are cream plastic, the lid containing a frame aerial and also functioning as the On/Off switch when raised. Surprisingly for a receiver of such compact size it operates on either MW or LW, and the other two controls are volume and tuning. Miniature components are used throughout, though sound quality is not particularly good as the loudspeaker is so tiny. Valve line-up is X17, W17, ZD17, N17. The radio cost £11.19.6 + pt. This example is near mint, and as can be seen from the pictures, still has its original box, not bad for a receiver more that 50 years old!

Continue to Marconi P60B

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