Featherweight Twin Tone Firth &
Co. Seibt
Feldstern-McCusker
Superior
A.C.
Gilbert
very
rare
Frost Fones
161
Frost Fones
171
Frost Fones 172
Frost Fones
175
Globe
Gold
Seal
by
Stanley and Patterson
Goldtone 2000 Ohms
Notes on the above:
Federal: These are heavy duty very good quality headphones. The
53-W were pretty common, but the 52-W model in the 3200 ohms are
quite rare, I have only seen 2 pairs of them ever.
Featherweight Twin Tone: Cheap consumer grade headphones, most
have open circuit in the coils due to acid flux at joints of the
fine wire, occ I get a working pair.
Firth: These are heavy duty and fairly uncommon, 1920's era, they
also work well for crystal radio with good sensitivity.
Feldstern-McCusker: Also fairly uncommon, middle of the road
quality headphones early 1930's I think.
AC Gilbert: From the Gilbert Science products, they also made a
crystal radio, and both the radio and headphones are rare and
collectable so the prices of these are very high, if and when you
can find them.
Frost Fones: The Frosties were middle to low end consumer
headphones from the early 20's through the 1930's. The earlier
versions were decent quality and fairly sensitive, but the later
versions such as the 174 were cheaply constucted and not as
sensitive. Like most brands of headphones, the earlier the better.
Globe: I have seen these with the aluminum cans and with nickeled
brass housings, both pairs I have seem well made and good
sensitivity.
Gold Seal: By Stanley and Patterson, in addition to being
attractive with the gold painted aluminum cans and brown cord,
these are actually very good headphones and have very good
sensitivity equivalent to a good set of Brandes. The gold paint
tended to peel off with time.
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Federal Headphones from Radio News, November, 1922
Federal, from Radio News, August, 1922
Frost Fones, from Radio News, September, 1922
Globe Headphones, from Radio News, November, 1922