Tonight at the book club meeting I sat at the table with this radio in front of me for the evening. I knew it had a story and the hostess just wrote to tell me I left my notebook where I had jotted down what I needed to know about the radio’s history. I remembered the location of Beaconsfield Street in Detroit. Here is what Lisa B. wrote to me just now about this radio from her husband’s family. Zenith Radio Model 12-s-370. found online Antique Radio Museum.
Here is what Lisa wrote in an email tonight- “So here you go: The radio belonged originally to neighbors of Virginia and Joseph Belloli who lived on Beaconsfield Street or Holcumb Street in Detroit. During WWII the neighbors were German nationals and as German nationals they could not own the radio because it had short wave capabilities. The neighbors sold the radio to “Granny” and “Grampa”. Joseph was born 1895 in Cuggiono Italy and Virginia in 1896 in the US, though her family was from Cuggiono as well. And just to make things complicated, three Oldani sisters married three Belloli brothers. You just have to accept if you were born Belloli and you meet another Belloli in Detroit or St. Louis, yes, somehow in some convoluted way, you are related.”
You can see more about this model in a video a guy made on youtube with one he found at the curb in Peoria IL
Ruth, I love beginning my day with your stories and your art. You have started your own virtual museum with all of your great posts.
Now we listen with plugs in our ears. No longer a family event.
Its a little bigger than my ipod shuffle.
That is an amazing piece and an amazing story.
I like how much of it you got in the shot. It was huge.
I remember these radios from my youth! Is it still in use?
Equally interested in the story of 3 Italian sisters marrying 3 Italian brothers! Families from the same town / or area in “the home country.”
Same story in my sister-in-law’s family!! Both families came over from Sicily to the Rochester New York area around 1900+. Names in this case were Prinzivalli and Pappalardo. I get dizzy trying to help with genealogy, or even just listening to stories!!! I’m sure this is an oft repeated tale related to immigration ….. leaving home with nothing, crossing the ocean to a place where you don’t have a job or speak the language!! Wow! It takes courage to be an immigrant! I would have been one who stayed behind! [sadly! :-)]
Wouldn’t it be interesting to know more!!!!
When I compare this with actual design, I think, something has been lost. With a plastic-Jesus on top it would be great.
Yes, that would top it off for sure!