classicwireless.co.uk/Pye

Pye Model Q

The Pye name first became known in 1896 making electrical instruments, and they diversified into wireless manufacture in the early 1920's as it became obvious that a potential market might exist. The company was run as a family business until 1929 when it became a public company having been bought by Charles Stanley (with financial backing). Based at Cambridge throughout its life, during the post-war consolidation of radio manufacturers it would find itself part of the larger Philips group.

Pye was responsible for one of the most famous and enduring cabinet designs; that of the "rising sun" fretwork design. It can be seen incorporated here on the model Q from 1932. This is a 4 valve battery portable T.R.F. receiver, housed in a solid walnut cabinet. Valve line-up was SG215, HL2, HL2, PEN220. The receiver used a paper cone loudspeaker, and required H.T., Grid Bias and an accumulator to operate. The cabinet featured a ball-race turntable so that the receiver could be easily rotated in order to pick up the strongest signal from the internal frame aerial. The speaker takes up the whole of the front of the cabinet, in order to maximise output from the not very powerful cone. The controls are mounted in a panel to one side of the receiver, and a door at the back provides access for stowage of the batteries and accumulator.

The "rising sun" design was used on a series of Pye radios during the early 1930's, and re-appeared again briefly after the WWII in a small plastic set. The "rising sun" receivers are now very collectable because of their obvious association with the Art Deco movement, sunrise patterns forming a mainstay of design of that period incorporated into objects ranging from garden gates to furniture. The photo left shows a stained leaded glass circular window as featured in an Art Deco property built 1935.

Continue to the Pye Push-Pull Output Bandspread Receiver