Faux Shark or Alligator radio.

[boater sam]

Mike, you have nailed it Ever-Ready 5214 it is.  Thank you all.

[Mike Watterson]

They work very well when you replace the paper caps.
I've the Lissen version
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/lissen_all..._8515.html
Different label, same factory & company. Factory destroyed in the Blitz.
Both variations came in multiple colour combinations.
Later models as well as changing to Mullard or Sylvania type number Octal (some Mullard were imported from USA) added an idler or a cord so that scale pointer moves same way as knob. On early ones it doesn't.

Shape of rear holes and external aerial sockets (if any) show which variation.

The guarantee card was in the battery compartment with maker, model and more. Some you will see the edge of where it was attached. Hence missing make, model and sometimes serial number on Ever Ready and Lissen from 1935 to 1945. Should have Ever Ready or Lissen on the tuning scale.
Here is my Model A. Basically cost reduced 521x series model with all the mods during production
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/ever_a.html
4: DK32 or 1A7G DF33 or 1N5G DAC32 or 1H5G DL35 or 1G5G
Those are the Octals used in last 521x models, just Mullard or USA designations. Some actually Mullard / Philips ones may be slightly different length.
Also at some stage the USA makers changed to button bases on Octal tubes instead of a pinch which reduced the height.


It's really just paint on plywood. The proper Alligator effect is paint or plastic embossed cloth.
Two layers, there may be a glue or some liquid after the thick bottom layer dries. Then as the top layer dries it shrinks and cracks. You can buy an expensive two can version, but it works well with cheap artist's acrylic paint sold in tubs or big tubes. You let first layer dry, maybe more than one coat, and then put slightly diluted PVA glue (craft paper/card or woodworking) and after it's dried slightly, paint the top coat. Experiment on a scrap piece of wood.

A method of using cheap plywood without cloth or veneer. From about 1948 it was cheaper to use embossed vinyl on cloth (PVC) than paint (less labour?). PVC is pre WWII, so some wartime radios have a genuine mix of rubber and PVC insulated wiring!

Rare for scale to fade on those.

Which of the many colour versions (background, foreground) have you?

Also some rare versions have more curved scale cut-out on case, rather than rectangle with rounded corners. They may have sloping sides too.

There was both Bakelite and veneer wooden table models of the chassis with edge valves in 1939. The Bakelite version also appeared after WWII, initially with octal (Basically a model A) and then amazingly with B7G miniature all glass (Possibly based on C/A). The Perspex and wood (wood only in Cossor version) model C after WWII was initially Octal and then (C/A and C/E) B7G miniature all glass.
The J seems to have been the basis for the Model T (last version changed 50mA to 25mA types), Sky Queen, Sky Prince, Sky King and Sky Lord, all very similar. The innards photos match Model T / Sky Queen parts, but on a circular chassis, rather than Model C/A parts.

60 Alkaline AA and four Alkaline D (both fused) fit in the pack which originally was 50 x B cells and 8 (!) F cells in parallel for LT. Gives about the same running time for HT (the D cells need replaced twice as often unless you put 8). Even the replica pack adds a lot of weight.