General Electric A-70 (1935-1937)

General Electric A-70 "Flat-Top Cathedral" Radio

The General Electric A-70, introduced in 1935, was a flagship "tombstone" style tabletop radio that marked GE's bold transition into the era of metal vacuum tubes. As the inventor of the metal tube, GE utilized seven of them in the A-70’s sophisticated superheterodyne circuit, which provided three tuning bands including two dedicated to shortwave. The radio featured a distinctive "robotic" dial that mechanically rotated to display a new scale whenever the band was switched, along with a dual-ratio tuning knob that offered a "fast forward" function for broad navigation and a "low gear" for precise station fine-tuning. Encased in a stately 20-inch walnut-veneered cabinet with a bronze escutcheon, it was designed to be both a high-fidelity receiver and a centerpiece of Art Deco home decor. While its advanced metal-tube technology set a new industry standard, the A-70 was eventually superseded by the 1937 models as GE continued to refine its "Focused Tone" and "Colorama" tuning features.

Donation: John & Carol Babina Jr.