Clocks & Music
Philco Model 16CPX Chairside Radio and Satellite Speaker– Century of Progress, 1933
Philco Model 16CPX Chairside Radio and Satellite Speaker– Century of Progress, 1933
Philco Model 16CPX, this exceptional and historic radio may be the only known surviving, a chairside radio and matching satellite speaker set designed for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. It stands as the sole confirmed example from an extremely limited production run of only seventy five units.
Designed by Clyde Shuler, who led Philco’s cabinet design from 1932 to 1933, the 16CPX was officially accepted for production on April 28, 1933, according to the unpublished Philco Furniture History records. It was Philco’s most expensive and exclusive radio ever offered, priced at an extraordinary six hundred dollars during the height of the Great Depression.
Created not only as a technical marvel but as a statement piece of modern design, the 16CPX was styled in the full spirit of Art Deco luxury. The set includes two pieces, the chairside radio cabinet and a large matching speaker cabinet, each crafted by Van Sciver from an exceptional selection of exotic materials. Macassar Ebony, Myrtle Burl, Zebrawood, and Crotch Walnut veneers were combined with ivory Catalin trim and polished stainless steel detailing. The speaker features a stainless steel top, while the chairside unit integrates both visual elegance and accessibility, making it a functional and decorative element in any refined interior.
Inside, the radio chassis is equally impressive. The Model 16 was Philco’s top of the line offering for 1933 and included eleven vacuum tubes with five selectable bands. It covered the standard AM broadcast band and offered full shortwave reception from 1.5 to 23 megahertz. Among its advanced features was QAVC, Quiet Automatic Volume Control, a squelch function that suppressed static and background noise while tuning across the shortwave bands. The receiver also featured a shadowgraph tuning system and tone selection control, demonstrating just how far radio engineering had come by the early 1930s.
This particular 16CPX remains in pristine, original, unrestored condition. As the only known example, it is a true museum-grade piece that represents the peak of American radio design during the Art Deco era. With its bold styling, rare materials, and groundbreaking electronics, it captures the energy and innovation of the Century of Progress and stands as one of the most important radios ever produced by Philco.
