Stromberg-Carlson Radio, Sam McLaughlin and June 6

Stromberg-Carlson Radio, Sam McLaughlin and June 6

While we relish in the beauty of this weekend, seventy one years ago; RSM, family and servants would have been listening to the radio reports, like every other day, but these days were a little different. The reports out of Europe regarding the invasion of the beaches of France by the allied forces would have been worrisome, a cause for anxiety and perhaps a little glimmer of hope would have been offered when listening in real time. The events known to us as D-Day, RSM would have been in the library of Parkwood, listening to the report on his Stromberg-Carlson “art case” radio, outfitted to the disguised speaker located behind his desk. 

BBC Report, 1944

The staff and volunteers of Parkwood NHS will be showcasing our amazing site to the Garden Writers and Bloggers of America this weekend, but we will not lose the opportunity to interpret the significance of radio and radio broadcasts bringing WWII into the homes and hearts of those on the Home Front.

Originally founded in 1894 to manufacture telephones, the Stromberg-Carlson company also produced radio components, and began selling their own complete sets during the early 1920s. By that time, the radio craze had fully absorbed the American public, and radio pioneer RCA was cornering the market after scooping up over 2,000 broadcasting-related patents.

Stromberg-Carlson entered the field by making smaller parts for tube radios. Eventually, the company applied its telephone-audio expertise to develop a successful line of radio headsets. In 1923, the company was licensed to produce the “Neutodyne” radio circuit designed by Dr. L. A. Hazeltine. Stromberg-Carlson’s first set came out in early 1924, and the company steadily grew its radio production, eventually requiring RCA licenses for several products.

In 1926, Stromberg-Carlson became the first manufacturer to merge phonograph and radio technology by incorporating a phonograph jack into its radio chassis. By the end of the decade, Stromberg-Carlson sold sets with fully integrated radio and turntables technologies, and the company’s radio sales surpassed that of its telephones.

The 1930s represented boom years for Stromberg-Carlson’s radio development, as it introduced new modifications like automatic volume control, improved amplifying methods, and an early push-button tuning mechanism. Ads from the late '30s emphasize other innovations, like the unique Stromberg-Carlson “acoustical labyrinth,” a complex baffle design which improved sound quality by guiding audio waves through a series of interlocking chambers, and its “Te-Lek-Tor” series, which included remote-control capabilities. “Let your dealer arrange an audition,” was the brand’s cheeky slogan, emphasizing its reputation for superior sound quality.

Over the next 20 years, Stromberg-Carlson created an array of gorgeous Art Deco inspired designs, from the sleek, ivory-colored 140-K console to the tabletop 225-H with its floral-patterned speaker grill and octagonal dial. After the company’s merger with General Dynamics in 1955, the business was restructured to focus production on telephone products, and its radios were discontinued.

 

Stromberg-Carlson info from Collectors Weekly magazine.