"Silvertone Model 6110 Rocket"
In 1938 Chicago designer Clarence Karstadt designed this "Radio Receiver Cabinet," for which he obtained a design patent in 1939. It was introduced by Sears Roebuck and Co. for $12.95 as part of its "Silvertone" line of radios, and was available in black, brown, and ivory.
Sears termed the radio the "Silvertone 'Rocket' Compact," designed for "modern people living in a modern world." Its name reflects both its size and the forward thrust of the design. A horizontally oriented cylindrical form is partially inset into a rectangular box with horizontal ribbing, which conceals a speaker covered with fabric. A convex tuning dial encloses the end of the cylinder that extends past the box, the whole effect conjuring up an image of a train about to leave the station. Six recessed buttons on the top of the cylinder provide access to preset stations, while a small knob under the tuning dial controls the volume. The radio came with an attached twenty foot aerial, and the broad tuning range included standard radio stations as well as some police frequencies.
Sears termed the radio the "Silvertone 'Rocket' Compact," designed for "modern people living in a modern world." Its name reflects both its size and the forward thrust of the design. A horizontally oriented cylindrical form is partially inset into a rectangular box with horizontal ribbing, which conceals a speaker covered with fabric. A convex tuning dial encloses the end of the cylinder that extends past the box, the whole effect conjuring up an image of a train about to leave the station. Six recessed buttons on the top of the cylinder provide access to preset stations, while a small knob under the tuning dial controls the volume. The radio came with an attached twenty foot aerial, and the broad tuning range included standard radio stations as well as some police frequencies.
Artwork Details
- Title: "Silvertone Model 6110 Rocket"
- Designer: Clarence Karstadt (American, New York, New York 1902–1968 Santa Monica, California)
- Manufacturer: Sears, Roebuck and Company (Chicago, Illinois)
- Date: 1938
- Medium: Phenol-formaldehyde resin (Bakelite) and cellulose acetate (CA)
- Dimensions: 6 1/2 × 11 3/4 × 6 1/2 in. (16.5 × 29.8 × 16.5 cm)
weight: 10.2 lb. (163oz.) - Classification: Machines & Appliances
- Credit Line: John C. Waddell Collection, Gift of John C. Waddell, 2000
- Object Number: 2000.600.12
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
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