We have always considered and collected these commercial masks and helmets as industries tribal art. Examples can be elegant in their simplicity or bazaar and complex. They are always unique, suprising and filled with personality.
1936 Philco 444 ” VW Beetle Radio”
Dubbed the "People's Set" by its maker, the British Philco Model 444 was designed for economy. Somewhat like the German Volksempfänger, it was an appliance for the masses, in an age when radio was becoming a true mass medium. The 444 sold in 1936 for £6 6s, which equates to roughly £320, or US$520 in today's money. That may not sound cheap, but most British radios of the time were even more costly, beyond the reach of many workers. This is a large, imposing tabletop radio, about the same size as classic cathedrals such as my Philco 90. The cabinet is made of Bakelite, however, a material that was cheaper than wood in 1930s Great Britain. Everything about this design is distinctive, from the modernistic dial to the clean, dramatic cabinet lines. Some people claim the cabinet was influenced by the engine cover of the Volkswagen Beetle, but I believe that both designs were simply a product of contemporary trends.... $900
