25-03-2011, 07:04 PM
The FB10 first appeared in Sept 1950 at a price of £8.17s.1d (£8.85 in new money) + Purchase Tax of 33.3% making its selling price £11.80, which - acounting for inflation - equates to £300 today, so like all radios back then, it wasn't a cheap buy. (As an aside, Purchase Tax was introduced in 1940 and remained in force till 1973 when VAT was introduced). The valve line-up of the first version (up to Serial No 100,000) was: 6BE6, 6BA6, 6AT6, 6V6GT and 6X5GT. The valve lineup of the second version from serial No 100,001 was 6BE6, 6BJ6, 6AT6, 6BW6 and 6V4. The first version had a frame aerial - the second, a ferrite rod aerial. I've no idea whether the seriail number relates to the actual volume sold - ie, in excess of 100,000. In 1950 when the set was first released, there were 11.8 million broadcast licenses, so it may well have sold in such numbers. Part of its popularity was that it was small so easily transportable from room to room, and could be 'taken to bed' - unlike sets such as the DAC90A.
The FM version was just that - FM only, which I think was a bit of an error of judgement on KBs part, so was pretty much doomed when it was introduced in Sept 1955, at a price of £10.16s.8d + 33.3% PT, making the selling price in 'new money' £14.44, which equates to £290 today, taking inflation into account. Few people would have been able to afford an FM only radio to supplement an AM one, and many of the radios on offer at that time, when FM sets were starting to appear, had at least LW/MW, and some had SW. Maybe KB thought that Fm broadcasting would quickly supplant AM, just as today, many thought that by now, we'd all be using DAB radios and FM would have fizzled out? In fact AM only radios continued to be popular well into the 1970s, particularly portable and car radios.
Initially the FM version of the KB10 had four valves, and later, five valves. It isn't commonplace, but neither do they seem to be especially sought after. At Harpeneden last year, on a trader's stand there was an FM version and matching AM version. The dealer wanted to sell them as a pair as he knew the AM version would sell easily, but didn't want to be lumbered with the FM one. In the end, he secumbed to an offer for the AM on, and the FM one hung around till lunchtime. I've no idea what it sold for in the end.
Often KB10s appear in bright colours such s red or green, which invariably means that the bakelite has become badly crazed and unsightly due to heat from the valves if the set has had a hard life, so the set has been given a facelift by spraying it. No doubt on occasions, they'be been dropped and damaged or damaged in transit, so repaired and sprayed.
When the FB10 was 'launched' so was the Queen Mary after having been refitted from its warship days back into a civilian cruise liner. KB fitted the Queen Mary out with radios, so made a great play of this when advertising the FB10.
An attactive little set - no home should be without one!
Hope that's of interest.
David
The FM version was just that - FM only, which I think was a bit of an error of judgement on KBs part, so was pretty much doomed when it was introduced in Sept 1955, at a price of £10.16s.8d + 33.3% PT, making the selling price in 'new money' £14.44, which equates to £290 today, taking inflation into account. Few people would have been able to afford an FM only radio to supplement an AM one, and many of the radios on offer at that time, when FM sets were starting to appear, had at least LW/MW, and some had SW. Maybe KB thought that Fm broadcasting would quickly supplant AM, just as today, many thought that by now, we'd all be using DAB radios and FM would have fizzled out? In fact AM only radios continued to be popular well into the 1970s, particularly portable and car radios.
Initially the FM version of the KB10 had four valves, and later, five valves. It isn't commonplace, but neither do they seem to be especially sought after. At Harpeneden last year, on a trader's stand there was an FM version and matching AM version. The dealer wanted to sell them as a pair as he knew the AM version would sell easily, but didn't want to be lumbered with the FM one. In the end, he secumbed to an offer for the AM on, and the FM one hung around till lunchtime. I've no idea what it sold for in the end.
Often KB10s appear in bright colours such s red or green, which invariably means that the bakelite has become badly crazed and unsightly due to heat from the valves if the set has had a hard life, so the set has been given a facelift by spraying it. No doubt on occasions, they'be been dropped and damaged or damaged in transit, so repaired and sprayed.
When the FB10 was 'launched' so was the Queen Mary after having been refitted from its warship days back into a civilian cruise liner. KB fitted the Queen Mary out with radios, so made a great play of this when advertising the FB10.
An attactive little set - no home should be without one!
Hope that's of interest.
David
