Focusing on the culture & history & design of pocket transistor radios manufactured during the 1950's & 1960's!

NEWSUN WR-1 WRIST RADIO

This cool little NEWSUN WR-1 wrist radio was manufactured in Japan circa 1963. It was advertised in a November 1963 edition of Boys Life Magazine for $7.40. I'm not sure who made it and unique though it is, it was not the first example of this genre. An early example was made in 1952 by two Western Electric engineers. It measured 1.5” x 2” x .75” and employed four transistors. It did not include the speaker, battery or antenna. The engineers made the radio as a gift for Chester Gould, the creator of Dick Tracy. The radio was also intended to show “what transistors may be able to do in the not to distant future”… REF: The Portable Radio in American Life by SCHIFFER. Predating this effort was a bulky miniature tube version from 1947.

In 1956 'Oliver Garfield Company' of New York advertised an 'all transistor' Wrist Radio for $29.95 in Popular Science. See the advertisement below.

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This little NEWSUN is tiny measuring just 1.5” x 1.75” x .75”. It has an aluminum face and a metal watch strap. To operate it simply insert the earphone into the earphone jack and wallah; sounds. To turn it off remove the earphone from the jack. There is no volume control knob; one level of volume fits all.

BOX & ACCESSORIES...

This NEWSUN comes with its original gift box, earphone and instructions. It was distributed in America by 'Technical Marketing Associates Inc' of 2124 Sepulveda Blvd Los Angeles California.