Murphy Radio 1931 Range

The model A3 was launched in 1931 and was Murphy’s first AC receiver.  The set cost £19.19.0 and was replaced towards the end of 1932 by the model A3A.  The same cabinet was retained throughout, though the tuning window for the A3A was returned to the position used in the original A3 receiver from 1931.  About 15000 A3 receivers were sold.   When first shown the set, dealers where aghast, and it gained the nickname of the “Dartmoor Special” as it was thought the lattice of wood protecting the speaker resembled that of a prison! The grille silk is a silvery grey colour, and this attracted some comment from the dealer network who were more used to a coppery colour used for example by Ekco.  Specified by the cabinet designer R.D. Russell, the silver colour was an integral part of the design, and Frank Murphy himself defended the colour choice on the basis that just because the dealer’s were unfamiliar with it did not make it either inappropriate or incorrect.  Like Ekco, Murphy also sold stands that matched their receivers A3 and A8, but this idea was discontinued by 1933.  No manufacturer ever seemed to sell many stands as optional extras (except maybe McMichael with their 135/137 models), presumably purchaser’s who might have bought a stand instead bought the console version of the receiver, which is likely to have offered better sound quality anyway. However, console versions of receivers where not offered by Murphy until 1936. I do not have a picture of the 1931 version of the A3, though pictures of the A3 later version can be seen on the next page (Murphy 1932) of this site.

Full Murphy range introduced from 1931   

(Model B4 still available)

      Fig 1             

Continue to Murphy 1932 Models   

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