Murphy Radio 1934

1934 saw the introduction of the “24” range including A24 AC superhet, D24 DC superhet and battery set B24. This was perhaps the most startling cabinet design yet by Murphy.  As can be seen below left, the set is in Walnut with sloping cabinet sides, but has an apron of Birdseye maple at the front.  Birdseye maple is a very expensive veneer, but was used in Art deco style furniture of the time.  The three bars over the loudspeaker grille are birch.  Particularly notable is the recess around the speaker grille.  Normally the return would be painted brown or perhaps veneered, however rather than disguising this the designer has chosen to highlight this by turning it into a feature of the cabinet by painting it bright red (see below right). The set cost £14.10.10 and was again designed by R.D. Russell.  The set shown works fine following replacement of the mains electrolytics and output transformer (already previously replaced). It featured the valve line-up AC/TP, AC/VP1, AC/HLDD, AC2/PEN, U12. 

For an additional £2.10.0 the A24 could be purchased in console form, though the cabinet is still rather stark. R.D. Russell would appear to have become enthused by exotic woods in 1934. Having utilised the expensive Birdseye maple for a large section of the front of the A24 table model cabinet, he specified the equally rare and desirable macassar veneer seen in the upper area of the front of the A24C shown below. The remainder of the cabinet is a somewhat plainer walnut veneer relieved by a blond slip wood emphasising the outline of the speaker cloth. A rather nice veneered back panel was included similar to that of the A24, but it served to protect only the chassis components in the upper half of the cabinet. Like the A24 table model valve line-up is AC/TP, AC/VP1, AC/HLDD, AC2/PEN, U12, though a rather more substantial loudspeaker is fitted with better magnet and windings.

The dealers’ magazine “Murphy News” suggested twelve ways to increase sales of receivers, particularly during the quiet summer season.  The suggested methods were really quite inventive, for example method 3 suggested: “Advertise a second-hand Murphy in the local “small-ads” or similar medium.  One dealer recently did this, although he hadn’t a second hand Murphy in the place! But he got shoals of enquiries and from these, by intelligent follow-up work he got several good sales – and all to people who were so disappointed at not getting the second-hand Murphy that they were easily persuaded to have a new one!” The quirky advertising theme continued, with some National advertisements for the set opening with the fact that Mrs Murphy had won first prize for her new potatoes in the Welwyn Horticultural Show!

Full range introduced from 1934

         Fig 1                  Fig 2                   Fig 3

Continue to 1935 

© COPYRIGHT RETAINED ON ALL TEXT AND IMAGES ON THIS SITE.