| The current feature is the Bulova 250 leather-cased radio. I discovered this in an antique shop in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, when I was there on business. It was practically mint, and came with the original box. The only thing missing was the snap-on leather strap. The Bulova 250 is a very early transistor radio, using the same chassis and knob as the Regency TR-1. I would date this to 1955. Front and back views of the radio are shown below. This radio is quite rare, especially with the box and in this condition. | ||
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| Shown below is a photo of the label inside the snap-open back. I decided to leave the list of stations which someone pasted in at a very early stage as a memento of history. This radio and the TR-1 were not set up for "foolproof" battery insertion--the battery could be inserted with the wrong polarity, possibly causing damage to the transistors. | ||
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| Next, we have the inside of the case, showing the chassis. The four transistors are the oval cases with dots on top. Interestingly, each transistor is painted a different color (red, yellow, green, and black), presumably for ease of assembly. | ||
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| Finally, we have the box itself. It's gold, with the logo shown on the left-hand image below on top. Inside the upper lid, we have what is shown in the image on the right. Bulova was touting its name as a manufacturer of precision watches, and also seems to have been making the price a feature. This radio cost $10 more than the TR-1 when it came out, but the leather case would have been seen as more luxurious. | ||
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