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You can get a peek of company radio offeriings by year at the links below:
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The decade of the 40s was effectively divided into three sections:
- The prewar years where the looming world situation seemed to have an effect on the few new radios that were offered
- The war years where radio production was focused on military sets
- The post-war years where new hopes and dreams and new technology coming out of the war opened up new markets and opportunities
1940 only saw about 10 new models released. Again, they are desirable collector sets.
- 1941 was again a "slow" year for new model release with less than 10 new models.
- 1942 was a radio series cut short by the war, and many models from this year are highly collectible.
- The War Years- All production during 1942 through the end of World War 2 was dedicated to supporting the war effort. Radio production was limited to military applications. Some items already in inventory were sold, and some product service was offered; but all manufacturing facilities were converted to produce items to support the war effort. (We will have information about war time radios coming soon)
- 1946 consisted of only three models at the beginning of the year, but eleven at the end of the year. The company wasn't fully converted back out of war time mode until late in the year
- 1947 saw some nice changes in the radio line-up, such as smaller tube portables and the re-introduction of a table set with push-button tuning,
- 1948 offered portable radios, more metal sets, and some new, stylish table top models. The first Arvin AM/FM set appeared on the market (officially a 1948 model but was sold in latter half of 1947) as well - Click here for an album of 1948 products & information.There are a couple of entries in the annual report pages that are of note --- production of a pop-up toaster for a "Chicago mail order house" and metal radio sets for the "Chicago mail order firm". Hello, Kenmore Toasters and Silvertone metal cased radios!
- 1949 marked the end of a decade , but production for the beginning of probably would be the most exciting decade for Arvin's radio business