1960 Arvin 60R49
Coat pocket radio, thermoplastic cabinet
6 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1 5/8 inches / 165 x 89 x 41mm
Seven transistors (at least four are ovals), four 1.5v AA cells
Manufactured by Arvin, USA
Arvin made a number of US transistor radios employing reverse-painted plastic, and this may be one of the best of them. The tuning area is a pretty stunning mix of silver-on-white, silver-on-black, and a red "7" on black, all surrounded by a clear plastic frame that itself is surrounded by a reverse-painted chromed plastic area.
The speaker grille is a louvered chromed plastic with a silver and red metallic Arvin badge in the lower corner. This sort of chromed plastic found on the grille is of course always very susceptible to wear and damage over the years, but this example has survived in perfect shape. The set has a stainless steel carry handle that settles underneath the back face when the radio is set on a surface. Unlike most other radios, the front half of the cabinet is the face of the cabinet -- see photo below. The Arvin 60R47 is this same set with a white cabinet.
The 60R49's cabinet and chassis are nearly identical to the Arvin-made 1961 Silvertone 1209/2209 "Medalist" -- the main difference on the cabinets is that the Silvertone has a metal grill.
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