Orleans and "Custom" cabinets

[Y2K Bruce]

I recently picked these up at Kenny Richmond's after complete restorations by him.I found the Orleans in a used furniture store in St Pete Fl and purchased the custom set from a fellow in the Denver co area. I plan to install a complete AW12 Dual Dial set in the Orleans and the Custom came with a super nice AW12 Deluxe with almost perfect chrome and a complete recap and dual speakers. It is a wonderful playing set. Some opinions of the source of the custom are it may have been a 1920's battery set made by Federal or a similar company. I have been unable to ID it so far.

Note how massive in size the Orleans is compared to a Warrington next to it. It towers over my Laureate Grande Philly too.

[David C. Poland]

Bruce - nice looking Orleans. . This cabinet was offered in Walnut and in Antique Oak. And I know of 2 cabinet versions.

During the AC-10 and SG9 era 1929-30, the speaker was positioned above the radio chassis. I have seen a couple examples. The top was glued down. The speaker cut out is a fancy fan shape, in keeping with the top of the door opening.

Mine is the later version and came with a 2-dial model. The top is hinged for easy access to the narrow shelf holding the set of coils in the back and also for access to the coil cans in order to change to SW coils. The receiver sits on a shelf above the speaker. The speaker cut out is same design as the early 1930's Warrington highboy (Clark # 83). The radio panel is 10 inches tall and nearly the full width of the cabinet instead of the usual 10 inch wide 8 inch high panel usually seen.

I have attached 3 photos. One like my Orleans with doors open. Also a photo of the early version I found on ebay awhile ago showing the fan shape. And a photo of mine with a 2-dial with the doors and drawer open - mine has a single play ERLA phono, original to the cabinet.

Dave