Crosley 'Fortyfive' Tabletop Radio Advertisement
June 1932 Radio-Craft

June 1932 Radio-Craft

Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio-Craft, published 1929 - 1953. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator, this Crosley "Fortyfive" tabletop radio advertisement appearing in a 1932 issue of Radio-Craft magazine which was priced at $45 (which coincidently happened to be the name of the model) at the time would cost $932.01 in today's dollars. That's a lot of money for a radio, but after all it was a newfangled superheterodyne model containing seven vacuum tubes. The superhet feature made tuning a lot easier since baseband filters could remain fixed. Cheaper models were available at about half the price, but even that was a lot of dough to lay out for entertainment. Radios were considered a luxury item - like a third car is today. These "tombstone" style cases were popular in the day. I think they look more like an arched church window, but that's just me.

BTW, note the mention of a "Federal tax" which may be levied on the purchase. Akin to a Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed in many countries, the U.S. does not currently have such a tax - much to the disappointment to many lawmakers in Washington who like to squeeze every ounce of blood out of the working man as possible in order to buy favor with the idle class who like to live off the backs of the rest of us.

Crosley Radio Ad

Crosley 7 Tube Superheterodyne At an Amazingly Low Price

$45.00

Complete with 7 Tubes and Tennaboard

The Crosley Fortyfive

The Crosley Fortyfive is the last word in radio design and performance. The beautiful front panel is finished in Adam brown. A pleasing two-tone effect is accomplished by an overlay of stump walnut veneer which decorates the front panel. Fluted pilasters support the arch of "V" matched rose wood. The top and sides are finished in Adam brown.

The 7-tube superheterodyne chassis incorporates pentode output and variable mu tubes, continuous [stepless] tone and static control and on-off switch, illuminated dial, volume control. Full floating moving coil dynamic speaker is used. Never was there a greater radio value.

Prices subject to change. Any Federal or State taxes which may be levied must be added to this price.

Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and west, prices slightly higher.

The Crosley Radio Corporation

Powel Crosley, Jr., President Home of "the Nation's Station" - WLW

Cincinnati

You're There With A Crosley

Crosley Radio

Posted October 10, 2022
(updated from original post on 11/17/2015)

Radio Service Data Sheets

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Crosley 'Fortyfive' Tabletop Radio Advertisement June 1932 Radio-Craft

Crosley 'Fortyfive' Tabletop Radio Advertisement
June 1932 Radio-Craft