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One of the three "Bullet"s, a Rare 1951 Northern Electric MIDGE Model 5408 5-Tube Radio in Custom Painted 2-Tone Finish Bakelite
In a Nutshell
This "bullet" or "jet-wing" design, originally created in 1948 by Farnworth, is one of the most artistic implementations of a radio front's essential features, a dial and a speaker grille - here is a rare 1951 Canadian version "Midge 5408" by Northern Electric
Introduction:
Here we have one of three known bakelite "Bullet" radios, made by Farnsworth, Northern Electric, and Lifco. The radio was apparently pioneered in 1948 by the famous inventor of television Philo Taylor Farnsworth (models GT-050 and GT-051), followed by Northern Electric's 1951 MIDGE 5508 and 5408, and then by the "Roamer" or "Regal" radio model L-660, made probably in 1952 by Lifco, a Canadian company left over after NE quit making consumer radios in the early 50's. All three radios can be seen at ref.1 below. They differ mainly by their chassis', the Lifco having a modern ferrite antenna instead of the loop antenna, the Farnsworth in addition having nine numbers on their dial instead of seven, the same as this rare variant of the Northern Electric, model 5408 (see pict.17), which is not documented. Farnsworth's cabinet features a gorgeous asymmetric bullet shape, alternatively resembling an airplane wing in a jet-stream. The NE 5408 radio came in plain bakelite, and in mostly hammertone painted blue, white, brown, green, rose and ivory. This radio as does the famous NE rainbow radio craves for being painted (see below under artists). A custom painted version of the rainbow radio recently sold for 350$ (Item 260091077440), a Farnsworth GT-050 with a red jet-stream for 179$ (Item 140080913257). The radio on auction is a two-tone custom painted version. Read about the tragic life of Philo T. Farnsworth in the parallel auction.
Additional information:
1.) All 3 at http://vintagewireless.byethost12.com/articles/samecabinet.html
2.) Documentation at http://www.northernelectric.ca
For artists, painters, and bodyshop owners only:
This radio as many of the plain bakelite radios, are craving to be painted, especially those with structured asymmetric bakelite surfaces. Many of them came in a choice of factory painted colors. More interesting for collectors, however, seems to be the freedom to paint those radios according to their personal tastes, as the example of a red-brown Farnsworth GT-050 (EBay item 140080913257) shows, which sold recently for 179$. The work is easily performed by taping the emptied cabinet and have a bodyshop friend painting it professionally with durable car paints. The procedure is risk-free, since bakelite is totally insensitive to even the most aggressive strippers, such that you can correct errors and/or have your radio repainted every third year, for example. Lifco Bullets often have a golden jet-stream.
About my radio:
This is a very rare version of the 5408 model, featuring a 9-digit reverse painted dial, instead of the 7-raised-digit standard version. The low serial number confirms its rarety. The radio is in very good condition, having been refinished only recently with a two-tone custom paint. The dial knob has some melt marks (pict.9), which are not very noticeable though. It plays loud and clear allover the band spread (watch flash movie by clicking on last thumbnail).
Here are the specifications:
| Technical Description of Item |
| Manufacturer |
Northern Electric, Belleville, Canada |
| Type |
5-tube AM superheterodyne receiver |
| Model |
5408 |
| Serial Number |
3105 (very low) |
| Production Year |
1951 |
| Cabinet |
Bakelite cusom painted in two-tone finish |
| Dials and knobs |
Rare 9 reverse painted frequency marks, ivory plastic |
| Dimensions (LxDxH) |
11½" x 6" x 6" |
| Weight |
4 pounds, 1.7 kg |
| Frequency Range |
AM 550-1600 kc |
| Tube Complement |
12BE6, 12BA6, 12AT6, 50B5, 35W4 |
| Comment |
Thoroughly cleaned and serviced, works perfectly |
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