Welcome to the Tabletop Radio!
In the early 1930s, manufacturers saw an opportunity to fill the gap between expensive floor models and insufficient crystal sets which led to the innovation of the tabletop radio (MacLennan, Windover, and Borck 2024d). The tabletop radio better suited the needs of Canadians and was more accessible for the average Canadian, causing a major influx in radio sales.
This newly acquired convenience of the tabletop radio was propelled through the introduction of new non-flammable synthetic plastics such as bakelite. These plastics replaced the artisan with the assembly line as radios could be mass produced quicker and cheaper rather than expending time and skill to create intricately crafted radio cabinets (Sheridan 2021). The adaptability of synthetic plastics also enabled the implementation of a wider array of colours and exploration of designs. The tabletop radio sat comfortably on the tabletops and countertops and its versatility in colour and style enabled it to be placed in a range of listening spaces (Windover and MacLennan 2017, 74). The affordable pricing of the radio also made it more suitable for the Canadian middle class.
Tabletop radios marked the integration of electrical devices into consumer products which lead to the overlap of art and manufacturing. As a result, the functionality of the device began to separate itself from its beauty, physical form and spatial presence (Sheridan 2021).
