Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
Radios were first invented in the late 1800s to aid in the communication of the shipment of goods. By the 1930s and the 1940s, the radio had gained popularity for its supply of entertainment in the lives of everyday people and its dependability in the military operations of the early to mid-century .
In 1932, William J Halligan founded Hallicrafters Company, which specialized in the production of innovative, but affordable radios. The Hallicrafter radio was characterized by its short-wave capabilities, which allowed for long-distance communication. Its ability to deliver high-frequency signals made communication more reliable and accessible, resulting in its usage by the United States military during World War II. Additionally, Hallicrafter’s mass production of cheap but reliable radios made its product readily available to the middle and lower classes, further popularizing it.
This aluminum-colored radio was produced in 1937 in Chicago, Illinois. It was produced part of the “Skyrider” series that highlighted the short-wave technology in the product. Moreover, it was branded as a “Super Skyrider” due to the advancement in its noise-limiting capabilities, signal detection, and amplification of radio signals.