Vintage Radio Restorations by Michael O'Brien "theradionut"

Zenith Stratosphere

I restored this 1936 Zenith Stratosphere, model 1000z for a major international collector in Sweden. When I received it, someone had already brutalized it with a “garage” restoration. It had been sitting in water for a long time and the base had rotted. I fabricated a new one using a partial pattern from the remains. I also did extensive veneering including a new top skin, base, and front, including inlay (nightmare). It turned out beautifully and I’m proud of the job. The speaker system was missing but we were able to locate the two woofers, crossover transformer, and horn. We also had to rewind the field on the horn. Luckily, it was a success. Trust me when I say, this is the only one I will ever do. Sparky still has a contract out on me if I ever take on another. It now lovingly resides in Sweden with a wonderful man that has it in a place of honor. These are rare and highly sought after and the book value on them is in the $75,000-$100,000 range.