Well now, isn't this fabulous? Ultra-rare and very stylish, it's a four-transistor Central. It's got to be pretty early--I'd say 1958 or 1959. It doesn't bear any resemblance to any other radio I can think of so I can't guess at the maker. The transistors are stamped with the "TEN" brand (Kobe Kogyo). That doesn't mean the radio was made by Kobe Kogyo, though; their transistors appear in lots of Japanese transistor radios. (They were one of the early licensees of the transistor patent from Bell Labs and were a prolific maker of transistors in the 1950s. In 1963 Kobe Kogyo became part of Fujitsu.) Still, this Central could be a Kobe Kogyo radio. They made some real sweeties and this Central sure is that!

The terrific tuning dial is metal and it appears to be black anodized. The bright red button thumbscrew is a nice touch, don't you think? It's a fairly substantial little set, weightwise, and measures 4 1/2" tall.