The previously untold story of the Zenith Trans-Oceanic, the world's most romantic and expensive series of portable radios. Long a companion of kings, presidents, transoceanic yachtsmen and world explorers, the Trans-Oceanic was also carried into battle by American troops in three wars. Its great popularity in spite of a very high price can be laid at the feet of several generations of armchair travelers who used the shortwave capabilities of the Trans-Oceanic as a window on the world. With access to the Zenith corporate archives and their long experience as radio enthusiasts and writers for both the popular and scholarly press, Professors Bryant and Cones present the engrossing stories of the development and use of the Trans-Oceanic throughout its forty year life. They present a wealth of never-before published photographs, documents and information concerning these fascinating radios, their collection, preservation and restoration.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
John Bryant and Harold Cones are avid lovers of the Zenith Trans-Oceanic. In their spare time Harold teaches biology at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, and John is a professor of architecture at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent source-book for Trans-Oceanic Collectors.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Zenith Trans-Oceanic, the Royalty of Radios: The Royalty of Radios (A Schiffer Book for Collectors) (Paperback)
Whenever radio-guys assemble to swap tales of great radios
one name stands above the rest - the Zenith Trans-Oceanic.
Considered the radio for listening to the world, Trans-Oceanic
portables were one of the finest engineered and designed
products made in America. I learned of the magic of the
Trans-Oceanic from my foster Dad, who carried one
(the R520\URR military version) in Korea. He told me it was
the most reliable radio he had ever seen.
A few years later I bought a 600 series and discovered for
myself the joys of short-wave listening. I carried that Zenith
from the States to Europe where, two years later, I bought a
Royal 3000-1 which went back to the States and then on to
Southeast Asia.
The Zenith Trans-Oceanic - The Royalty of Radios, is one of
the finest collector books I have ever seen. The author's spent
more than two years researching the Zenith archives to bring
this book to life. Page after page of beautifully produced color,
combined with black and white photographs show each model
inside and out, along with original magazine ads presented in
their original format.
Information covering the origin of the Trans-Oceanic and model
changes through the years make for interesting reading. Also
included are repair hints, as well as collecting information.
The section on original cost compared to 1996 dollars
demonstrates how expensive these sets were when new. The
original Trans-Oceanic sold for $75 in 1942, which translates
to $695 today. The most astounding price was on the first
transistorized model, the 1000-D, introduced in 1958 at a
1996 price of over $1400!
This is a book for anyone interested in the history of one of the
finest products ever produced in the United States - the
Zenith Trans-Oceanic radio. The authors, publisher and
printer deserve a thank you for producing this fine volume.
by Bob Moore
The Roving Editor
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have authority for all Zenith Trans-Oceanic owners.,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Zenith Trans-Oceanic, the Royalty of Radios: The Royalty of Radios (A Schiffer Book for Collectors) (Paperback)
I recently acquired a 1956-57 model Y600 at a flea market. The Zenith Trans-Oceanic is clearly in a class by itself and I wanted to learn as much about the history of this model as possible. What a pleasant surprise when I received "The Zenith Trans-Oceanic, The Royalty of Radios" and found it to be extremely well documented, highly entertaining and it even includes a restoration guideline section. The print quality is first class with all the historical photographs of related personages and reproduction of Trans-Oceanic advertisements that a reader could want. The writing style is both scholarly and entertaining. In short this book has provided significant additional pleasure in owning, restoring and listening to a radio worthly of being known as a historical benchmark in radio history. Thanks to Amazon Books the finding and acquiring this book was made easy!
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Invaluable, Entertaining, Scholarly,
By Tim Naff "Tim" (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Zenith Trans-Oceanic, the Royalty of Radios: The Royalty of Radios (A Schiffer Book for Collectors) (Paperback)
This is easily the best written book for collectors that I've read -- not just for radio collectors, but for collectors in general. Its 160 magazine-sized pages are thorough and exhaustive in their presentation of history, key personalities, and technical data, and the book is thoughtfully structured to be as useful as a reference as it is an entertaining read. A wealth of pictures, many in color, come from ads, from Zenith archives, and from individual collections.
The book places the genesis and subsequent evolution of the TO clearly in historical context and explains the impact of the TO on the commercial development and acceptance of the portable radio. The authors provide practical advice for collectors, even citing restoration techniques and specific restoration products used by museums. (See my note at the bottom of this review.) Especially gratifying is the use of endnotes that provide sources of historical information. More than just references, the endnotes contain enough interesting anecdotal data that you'll find yourself reading them in their entirety when you finish the main text. If you are interested in the history of radio for any reason, you won't go wrong with this fascinating, authoritative work. I expect that it has already significantly increased interest in the collecting of Trans-Oceanics. Note: The book mentions the use of shoe polish as a way of improving the appearance of the TO's black vinyl coverings. You can do better. Try one of the various swab-on, "scuff cover" products for shoes. They work better, look better, and don't rub off.
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