I spent a few hours at the Antique Radio Club of Illinois RadioFest (ARCI) this morning and took a bunch of pictures. Here are some of the radios - the TVs are over here (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=248512).
There were loads of radios - some all to familiar to me :yes: Tons of knobs too. So many I got dizzy looking at them!

Not many buyers though. I don't recall seeing a single console set sell. Tubes and parts seemed to be selling well though.

The very first radio I noticed was a Philco 38-7CS in far better, all original, condition than mine.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4867346084_44966af6bf_z.jpg

A big collection of very rough Philco and Zenith consoles.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4866730999_5f58221575_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4866731219_05d84135d3_z.jpg

Some nice radios
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4867348188_76c84b2661_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4866733681_11bd4b98f8_b.jpg

Westinghouse Columnaire - a newer model than my WR8 I believe. The chassis is much smaller than the Radiola 82 found in the WR8.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4867352730_72bfcff77a_z.jpg

Lotsa plastic
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4866739495_b0544a6d44_b.jpg

Nice Sparton sled back there.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4866740923_3b40d99ca5_b.jpg

Nifty table radio.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4867388542_6b71dd9856_z.jpg

Plenty to choose from.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4866773329_116c91c9ef_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4867389694_64e066ed62_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4866774121_16dfc1dceb_b.jpg

Here's some of the competition items.

The Atwater-Kent area was off limits at the time I was there.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4867390764_5563fb7aed_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4867392122_3530ae8acf_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4866776567_3ec93628fa_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4866777303_7ce9138f26_b.jpg

Sargent-Rayment 710. Love the blue Arcturus tubes.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4866779071_06b200127a_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4866778277_91e048f1c9_b.jpg

I also saw an early metal type tube for the first time.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4867352332_f95d506b24_z.jpg

The entire photo gallery came be found here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70039806@N00/sets/72157624544026403/with/4867352332/).

Thank you for the oustanding photos and taking time to post them here!! Fantastic stuff out there-Ray:thmbsp:

Thank you for the oustanding photos and taking time to post them here!! Fantastic stuff out there-Ray:thmbsp:

My pleasure, glad you enjoyed them.

I took a closer look at the 38-7CS and noticed the PHILCO logo is missing and it looks lighter than mine so I bet it's been refinished! Not so original after all.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4867346084_44966af6bf_z.jpg

I got there early and what I saw selling was stereo stuff. More so than radio

Yeah, I've noticed that I'm seeing more stereo gear at these things-silver-faced 70s recievers, etc. Most dealers seem to be hunting for tube audio and plastic table radios now...

I really want to go to something like this someday! I haven't once heard of there being an antique radio or television convention in my area. I'd be very interested to know if there's any thing like this in the South Carolina, North Carolina, or Georgia area. Are old radios and televisions simply more abundant in the north and midwest? It seems like the hobby really thrives in those areas, but I may be getting the wrong impression?

At any rate, I've never personally met or spoken to a single soul who honestly had any interest in tube radios or televisions! I've met clock guys, antique toy guys, gun collectors, Star Trek collectors, but... no old radios. When I bought my Zenith H724, it was one of maybe THREE antique radios at the jockey lot. Other places I go, I've seen less than that. Old televisions? Must have ended up in the dumpster because I found my Zenith at a time when it was the only pre-1960 tv for sale on Craigslist within 100 miles of me.

What is up with that??? :no:

Now, I did run into a Crosley clock radio like the cream one in one of those photos. There's a light green metallic one beside it, and the one I recall was blue. This was in an antique store, however, at an antique store price. Reminds me of the dash out of a car, you know... a real car. I saw a Zenith like mine in that second photo with all the rough cabinets... hm, looks like someone kept their Zenith collection in a barn!

Overall, looks like the type of deal where I would best go by myself, or otherwise hear a bunch of whining over how long I'm taking to look at stuff and talk to people. Sheesh!

Definitely go by yourself or with a fellow enthusiast so you can drool in comfort. There is a meet like this in NC or VA, I believe, but can't pinpoint it right now. Of course there's our beast of a show in Kutztown PA in May and September, a bit far for you. If nobody chimes in here for the NC/VA one, query on ARF and sombody there will know.

I found a Southeastern Antique Radio Society that has a swap meet September 25 in Atlanta. I take it that you have to be a member? I'm not sure exactly how these clubs work since I've never been in one. http://www.sarsradio.com/

There's also an Antique Wireless Association in NC that has a swap meet in November in Greensboro, NC. Looks like they had one back in January that got cancelled, probably due to the snow that postponed our Charlotte Elvis Fest. http://cc_awa.homestead.com/index.html

I wouldn't mind joining some kind of antique radio club. I'd probably be one of the younger members, which wouldn't bother me at all.

Here are some more pictures from the official ARCI website.

http://www.antique-radios.org/rf10news.htm

Hi come visit Nashville Radio Club Swap meet in October ,9th 6:30am to 12 noon.Contact Larry Chambers @615-355-2005 or Kendal Trammell @ 615-962-4310. This is a nice meet indoors 35 tables 15$ to set up.Many nice radios and nice people to boot.Great prices.Ibeen going for the last 10 years... Sprman...