Sarah Doran
Project Four
Greenbelt Museum Artifact Study
During the 1920's, the prices of radios ranged from $100 to close to $200. As a result, only the well-to-do, upper class families were able to afford this musical luxury. In 1921, Powel Crosley, Jr. appalled by the prices, set out to design a low-cost radio. By 1924, Crosley had become known as the "Ford of Radios." He was successfully able to design, market, and mass produce radios at an inexpensive price. It is fitting that the radio found in the Greenbelt Museum is a Crosley console. Greenbelt was one of three "green towns" built by the Roosevelt administration during the New Deal. The idea of Greenbelt was to create a place to raise children, surrounded by trees and grass, for low-income families. As a result, it is extremely likely that if families of Greenbelt did own a radio, it would be a Crosley.



Powel Crosley, Jr.-The Ford of Radio

Powel Crosley was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1886. Crosley was both fascinated by automobiles and consumed by the dream of becoming a millionaire. In college, he studied engineering, and then law (his father was a prominent attorney), before dropping out of school to become a chauffeur. Throughout his twenties and thirties, Crosley was involved in various automobile enterprises. Although he was a gifted inventor, most of his economic ventures failed. He was quoted as saying,

"I thought that I could fiance million-dollar corporations on small amounts of capital. I promised myself then (after a fiasco with cycle cars in 1913) and there not to attempt more than I could safely manage, not to run my business on other people's money, and above all, to be strictly independent in my financial dealings."1

In order to make good on his promise, Crosley sold advertising copy for a client who ran an automobile company. He also designed a number of products for car owners, including a Litl Shofur, a draft eliminator, flag holders, and even an inexpensive six-cylinder car in 1907. After much success, he was able to establish his own company, America Automobile Association, and eventually bought out his client. Crosley then bought a printing company to advertise his products, and a wood working plant that made phonograph cabinets. The wood working plant was to pick up the seasonal slack in the auto business.

The Idea

In 1921, Crosley's son asked for a radio. Thinking it was a toy, Crosley was appalled at the $130 price tag. The minimum estimated cost for a radio at the time was $100.2 Instead of buying the expensive version, Crosley purchased the book, The ABC's of Radio. After studying the manual, Crosley purchased the needed parts and designed a crystal set for $35. Crosley immediately recognized the benefit of a low-cost radio. People who could otherwise not afford or have the knowledge to make one, would be able to purchase a radio at a third of the market price. In a conversation with Manuel Rosenberg, Crosley discussed his ability as an inventor and newfound knowledge of radio.

"I'm in the mail-order business, as you know, but what I do is go down to the five and ten cent store and for $1.25 I buy parts, put them together, and I sell the machine for $3.25 by mail order and I'm doing pretty well." 3

The Crosley Radio Corp.- The Early Years

After his discovery of a method to make inexpensive radios, Crosley designed a "tube socket of porcelain and a simple wooden condenser." Then he hired Dorman Isreal, a student at the University of Cincinnati, who designed the Harko series of radios. In 1921, the Harko sold for $20. 4 As a result of successful sales, Crosley decided to limit his construction to receivers. However, in order to compete in the low-priced market, Crosley needed to be licensed. After a failed agreement with Tri-City (Trescar) in December of 1922, Crosley purchased Precision Equipment, a company founded by Thomas New in June of 1919. Precision held the Armstrong License needed for production. As a result of the license, Precision Equipment remained under its own name, even though it was purchased by Crosley. Usually Precision (Ace) and Crosley products were advertised on facing pages, sometimes with the same address. In January of 1924, Crosley united the two companies and became the Crosley Radio Corp..5

The Crosley Radio Corp.

Between 1922 and 1930, Crosley produced over one hundred and twenty-five different models. Crosley's first receiver was called "Gembox," while other receivers were given names such as "Ace, Pup, Chum, Playmate, and Showchest." Unlike most radio manufacturers at the time, Crosley made low-cost receivers at volume sales. In fact, for several years Crosley out sold his competitors, but made less of a profit.6 Like others during the Depression, Crosley recycled parts. In 1925, the short-lived model 50/50A was created after sales of one-tube receivers had fallen and caused a surplus of parts. Almost by accident, Crosley discovered that the parts of the 50 and 50A fit into the VI cabinet. As a result of this discovery, Crosley created the model 50/50A.7

In 1924, a few months after Crosley and Precision united, Crosley acquired a large interest in De Forest Radio Corp. Ltd., a Canadian company. For $39,000 he bought Amrad, in December of 1925. Then in July of 1926 he designed and marketed the "Icyball" refrigerator. In January of 1927 he began to associate with a New Jersey division of the De Forest Company. In terms of profits and sales, 1928 proved to be the best and most successful year for the Crosley Corp. Crosley added a large addition to his factory in 1929. It wasn't until 1930 that Crosley registered its first loss to Philco, another low-price radio manufacture. The Crosley Radio Corp. was sold to Avco in 1945. Crosley products including appliances, radios and TV's were discontinued in 1956. In 1966 Clyde G. Haehnle became vice-president of Administration for Avco. He liquidated its assets in 1976.

WLW - The Nation's Station

Around 1921, Crosley also became involved in broadcasting which he saw as another way to advertise his products. In the the spring of 1921, Crosley received an experimental license to operate. On a Victrola he would play the record, "The Song of India," and then "make announcements into an old telephone chest mike and ask for post cards to be sent. He got about fifteen from the other side of the city."8 On March 2,1922, WLW was given licenses for two operating frequencies, by the old Federal Radio Commission. The entertainment frequency was 833 kHz, and the weather and information station was 619 kHz. In 1928, Crosley was granted the authority to construct a transmitter at 50,000 watts. In 1934 he received permission to build a 500,000 watt super station. This would be the one and only "superpower" station to broadcast normal schedules.9

Other Related Sites

If you are interested in learning more about the radio and its technology, I would check out Denise Logsdon's and Cherise Neville's exhibits. Denise examines the change of the Radio design from 1937-1945. Cherise looks at the origins and invention of the radio. I believe that these two pages would serve as a excellent background to the history of radio, and that one may come to appreciate Crosley's contribution after viewing them.

Selected Bibliography