Dazzling 1922 Western Electric Model 7-A Amplifier w Good Tubes & Transformers!

Description

Many years ago I went to a barn sale in a small town in coastal Maine, and was about to leave – it was mostly old tools and lobster traps – when I spotted this, tucked up under an eave, and couldn’t believe that what I was looking at was a scarce artifact of the very early days of radio: a Western Electric 3-tube amplifier from 1922. Western Electric, of course, manufactured some of the most prized wireless and sound equipment of the early Twentieth Century – it was so well-designed and built that these units, if you can find them today, are usually easy restorations that still perform better than new equipment. This hails from a time when radio receivers by themselves were so low-powered that they had to be listened to through headphones; if you wanted to use a horn speaker, you needed additional amplification. Western Electric also made radios and horn speakers, but their amplifiers are by far the rarest component of the combination, and the most sought after. These turn up very, very infrequently, and when they do, they are almost always missing their Western Electric 216-A “tennis ball” tubes (highly-prized in and of themselves.) I don’t know how this unit managed to survive all those decades intact, but, as you can see, it did.
This unit is remarkably clean; except for some tape residue (people here in Maine have a long history of labeling their stuff thus), there’s nothing on it that wasn’t there when it was sold new a century ago. (The residue is easily removed; I will leave it to the new owner to decided whether or not to leave it in place.) The finish, as you can see, has aged very well. The unit even has its original Eveready battery (no leakage as far as I can tell) and original schematic. I have no way of testing the tubes beyond the filaments, but the filaments do test good, and Western Electric tubes are famous for lasting many times longer than other tubes; the transformers all test good, too. The unit, with tubes, measures 12.5” w x 10”d x 8”h, and is an excellent candidate for restoration, though I have enjoyed just displaying it in my living room all these years. If you’ve always wanted one of these but were waiting for just the right one to pop up, this is your lucky day; there isn’t a nicer example out there. Best of all, I offer it here with NO RESERVE – high bidder takes it!
I will ship this item ONLY within the United States. If you live elsewhere and are interested in it, please contact me BEFORE bidding so we can discuss the shipping charges, which can be very expensive outside the U.S. I will be shipping the phonograph and horn separately, to insure that the latter arrives intact and undamaged. I ship once a week (whenever possible). Having received, over the years, some items that did not survive shipping, I always take care to pack very carefully. If you prefer, I will be happy to drop it off at a nearby UPS store and have it professionally packed and shipped at your expense. I reserve the right to raise or lower the shipping charges should they prove to be significantly different than those determined by the shipping calculator. I reserve the right to refuse sale to anyone with excessive negative feedback or an otherwise suspicious history. Payment is due within three (3) days of the auction's close. Due to its age I am selling this radio without any warranty. All sales are final. I am not a dealer, and don’t have a big operation with a staff, so I would appreciate your patience while I take the time to pack your items with the care they deserve.
Be sure to see all the pictures! I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have, but please try to ask as early as possible, as it sometimes takes me a while to get to my email. Please see my other listings, as I am thinning out my collection considerably. I have several fine items up on Ebay right now, and will be listing many more in the weeks and months to come, so please keep checking. Good luck and happy bidding!