1947 GEC Bakelite Home Broadcaster BC1901 Desk Microphone

A wonderful 1947 GEC Bakelite Home Broadcaster BC1901 in its original box: just the thing for your vintage office! 

Outwardly, the microphone is in pretty good cosmetic condition, with a few minor surface scuffs.  The outer cardboard box is intact but showing its age. This is being sold as a collectible/display item only, as we are not sure whether or not it is in working condition. The impedance measures at 3700 ohms.

Made by the General Electric Company (GEC), Coventry, UK, these desk microphones were designed for use with a pick-up radio terminal. They were powered by 3 volt Dry Batteries/Cells: not included due to most postal services no longer accepting items containing batteries. 

Approximate Dimensions

• Height: 11cm
  
• Base Width: 9cm
  
• Base Length: 14.8cm

The home broadcaster has been wired with a black corded wire, which complements the black/brown of the bakelite, terminating in the two original connectors. You will notice that the desk microphone was sold, from new, without a base cover.

Other parts include:-

• A standard telephone insert
  
• Clips for the Battery
  
• Rheostat for volume control
  
• Transformer
  
• Carbon insert
  

As a machine age style collectable, this is a lovely thing and much more affordable than the Italian Phonola, (below), which sell for around £3000 if you can even find one!

My other photo, (Videofon), shows the cover of a late 1920s radio magazine that predicted we would all be using television screens similar to the GEC Home Broadcaster by the 1950s: they were nearly right!

A nice slice of microphone history to add to your collection!

Please click on the following link for more vintage Microphones.