Toshiba Radios

I happen to have a weak spot for Toshiba transistor radios.  I think they were pushing the edge, rather than just creating boxes. I don't have many of them in my collection, but the ones I do have are special to me.  Have a look at mine, and if you have any in your collection please share them too.  I always enjoy seeing them.

5TR-193 (The "Lace")


6TR-304 (The "Coffin")


8TM-294B


RP-12

That's quite a nice collection.   

Very nice collection! Hope these Toshiba products were of better quality than were their projection TVs of the early 1990s and their DVD players of the early 2000s. . . .The first TV's breakdown cost me over $300 for repair and then broke down again just a few months later (both times a color convergence problem). The DVD player never performed satisfactorily, despite costing about $175. I finally wised up and junked both units, replacing them with Sanyo and Sony gear, and swearing off Toshiba forever. . . .

Very nice. I suspect they were definitely better quality. I also like the crown boy's transistor radios. Unfortunately, I don't have any at this time. Had two at one time as a boy. A light blue shirt pocket with a brass metal grill, and, a large pocket light bule one with a chrome metal grill.

I've not seen much of their radios. I can see it must be because folks are snapping them up! Nice units!

They are fairly scarce. The two at the top especially so. Probably more common in Japan than in the states.

Those are great examples Greg!

When you mentioned Toshiba, the first thing I thought to myself is "I wonder if he has a 'Lace' ?" Sure enough.

I always felt that during this era the Americans designed far more beautiful automobiles then the Japanese, but America had nothing on Japan when it came to artful beauty in pocket-sized radios.

There's a story behind the "Lace".

3 or 4 years ago I found it in the display case of a small "junk" shop along the Chuckanut Highway. The guy that owned the shop knew what he had, and he knew how rare it was. He placed a VERY high value on it too (based on the highest price one ever went for on eBay). When I learned how much he wanted for it, I walked away and wrote it off... but not entirely.

Last year when my wife and I were heading back to Anacortes (on the way to the ferry to Victoria) I detoured to that junk shop to see if the radio was still there. This time I was more flush with cash, but still too cheap to pay his price. Anyway, we haggled, and I got the price down to a level I was comfortable with, and he accepted.

Now there is absolutely nothing to draw me back to his shop. Oh, he does have a few more radios, but none I care to own.

Interesting story. I'm glad it's in your hands now, instead of slowly fading away in a greedy junk shop!

I missed out on this one, was watching it, but it ended when I was busy.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Toshiba-tranisistor-radio-from-the-60s-/171242142723?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=O6LtYPHtjnp4p3lGPfxjvS4DD3Q%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc