Rare Art Deco Philco Radio Bar

The Philco Radio Bar has it all!  A smart piece of home furnishing with a working original radio, a full complement of new and original glassware and  original decanters, a pristine matching cocktail shaker, secret storage, lights, mirrors, bells and whistles. All right, no bells or whistles…but you get the idea!

We have seen (and sold) Art Deco  Radio Bars in the past, but when we located an original brochure for the 1936 Radio Bar in a two toned, streamlined cream and dark wood version, it became our goal to find and restore one of these very rare models. This one has additional mirrors on the serving and glass storage areas, with stainless steel stripped speed lines on the front. A very modern interpretation of the classic Philco radio bar.

Voila! Success!

After much research and restoration the stylish home bar  with the very  romantic and  glamorous name:

” Model 528A-W-P620″

is ready for you!

 1935 Brochure for the Philco Radio Bar

To understand the allure of an extravagant piece like this, you must imagine the era and its context. During thirteen long years of “Prohibition”, the drinking of alcohol had to be supressed and concealed. We may fantasize about the rollicking “Speakeasy” nightclubs, but in reality,  bars at home had to be hidden, disguised and dark. The “radio bar” grew out of this idea of maintaining a secret place to keep liquor and glassware, but now, with the repeal of the 18th Amendment in the early 1930s that ” secret bar” could be done in a gleaming “antique white” finish , come into its own as a focal point and be treated to” pride of place” in the living room.

 from the original brochure, 1935

“Your guests will thrill to it…”