Columbus model 88 on TM

Thanks Steve, I wish people would take better photos on trademe, its not hard. Is that a celluloid Dial glass?, it looks like its gone opaque, but you would expect RCNZ top model to have actual glass wouldnt you?

Bad photos on Trademe seem to be the norm! What an interesting set. The use of the side contact EF8 is very unusual, actually I have never come across another use of this valve. Might be a bit hard to come by me thinks.

It is very impressive set from a technical point of view, maybe not the best looking radio Radio Corp ever made. I've never seen one "in the wild" before either. Given its rarity and specs, it definitely belongs with a collector who will give it a proper restoration...like you Steve!

I would love to buy it too, but Palmerston North is a bit far from Dunedin!

We can only hope that the power and output transformers survived the obligatory "turned it on to see if it worked" test.

Of all the (working) valve radios I own, my model 90 would have the best sounding set (actually by quite a margin). The first time I powered it up after repairing the burned out transformer and spending hours figuring out how to neatly replace those accursed metal-can oil-filled capacitors that are soldered into cups under the chassis and then used as tie points as well... what was I saying? I get frustrated just thinking about those darned things... oh, yeah... stunning sound. Everyone should own a 90, just for the sound. I have a 91 in a Flotilla radiogram cabinet with a Goodmans(?) 15" speaker but I don't rate it against the standard table-model 90 in the Endeavour cabinet with a 10" RNZ Electromag Speaker. The Flotilla is loud, but it just doesn't sound as good to me... ok, slight detour from the topic there

Richard, we had Magic on AM up until recently too - I miss it. At least we still have the Coast at the top of the dial.

And Daniel, I'm only a few hours closer than you...

Anyway, I'll keep an eye on it - I still need to factor in that I'll be killed to death if the boss finds out I'm even considering it though.

Truth or Myth?  I don't know.  The problem I have is that I can't work out who J. (Jens) Jensen is.  He doesn't look like Peter L Jensen of Jensen Speakers, although allegedly both "were Danish-American engineers who played a prominent part in the invention and development of the modern loudspeaker".  One with a great deal of historical fact behind him and the other just according to this page from the model 75 brochure.

I heard a rumour that Jens was a brother who had a falling out with the family but I've yet to find anything to back that up... I've only just started digging on that though.

Regardless, he was obviously not a fraud because these speakers punch WAAAY above their weight in my book.  RNZ also made speakers for Rola, which might explain why some of them look so similar.  I've only recently uncovered that, so I want to get some speakers together and have a look at them in more detail.  A job for another day though.

you couldnt help yourself Steve congratulations

You don't have to justify yourself!