The FaDa Radio
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This unusual looking radio was manufactured by FaDa Radio company. It was sold to Burr Hurlbut, from Richville by Harold Storie when he had a radio shop on John Street. He donated it to the museum in 1974. This radio was made in 1925.
The cabinet is wood and face is tilted back. The dial has three large knobs and three below. The speaker horn is a Music Master, about 13 inches in diameter. Complete with batteries and antenna, it cost $200.00. The stand for the radio was donated by Harold Storie, expressly for this radio.
Frank Angelo D'Andrea (born 1888, Bronx, NY) was the creator of FADA Radios. He learned about the construction of radios working at the Frederick Pierce Co., a company that did experimental work for inventors. Soon after, D'Andrea went into business for himself, with his 16-year-old brother. Their driving ambition was to get rich.
D'Andrea plan was to create crystal detectors for the radio industry. For the name of his company he adopted his initials: F.A.D.A. With the radio boom hit in late 1921, FADA couldn't produce crystal detectors fast enough, and soon was renting space in three different places on the same street, Jerome Avenue, in the Bronx.
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