Historical radios: passion and shared heritage.

In December 2020, the municipality of Pasiano di Pordenone was donated a collection of over 400 radios by Pier Giorgio Vendramini, a citizen and keen researcher into artefacts and accounts of recent history.

This collection, which includes devices dating from 1920 to 1970, most of which restored to their original splendour, is the result of patient and meticulous work carried out over thirty years, rooted in great curiosity and passion.

Vendramini recognises that the value of his radios is, first and foremost, cultural in nature and as such that they must be made available to everyone. This was the basis for his donation of the collection to his home town, and the municipal council decided to share this heritage through a dedicated museum, alongside other collections in the area, establishing thematic connections with the historical radios: MIRS was born.

Thanks are also due to Gianfranco Pizzinato and Gabriele Marcuzzo for donation of other pieces of radio equipment.

RUHMKORFF COIL used in physics laboratories in the late 19th and early 20th century

CGE MOD. 195 SUPERGIOIELLO Italy, Milan, 1951–1952

RADIOMARELLI MOD. ARIONE Italy, Milan, 1934–1935

ELECTROMECHANICAL WORKS MOD. ZVEZDA 54 Russia, 1954–1955

NATIONAL PANASONIC MOD. R-72 “TOOT-A-LOOP” Japan, early 1970s

PHILIPS MOD. RRXVI RADIORURALE Italy, 1938–1939

RADIOMARELLI MOD. 9U15 “FIDO O.C.” Italy, Milan, 1945

PHILIPS MOD. 930 A Holland, 1930–1931

SAFAR MOD. USIGNOLO Italy, Milan, 1933–1934

EMERSON MOD. 888 PIONEER USA, New York, late 1950s

DUCATI MOD. RR 3404 Italy, 1941–1942

WELTRON MOD. 2001 Japan, early 1970s

MAGNAVOX MOD. R2 USA, Oakland, California, 1922–1924

WATT RADIO MOD. SIDERODINA Italy, Turin, 1934–1935

AMPLION MOD. AR 114 “DRAGON” England, London, mid-1920s

MARCONI VALVOLA MOD. MT31 Transmitting triode with air cooling, 1935

GRUNDIG MOD. SATELLIT 2000 Germany, mid-1970s

LESA MOD. FUNNY Italy, Milan, 1970–1971

The radio also became a commercial gadget

IRRADIO MOD. DX 6 Italy, Milan, 1939–1940

RT174/PRC8 US Army transceiver, classic shoulder-mounted model, 1960s–1970s

TELEFUNKEN MOD. R546 “MIGNONETTE 36” Italy, 1963–1966

EUROPHON MOD. RADAR Italy, Milan, mid-1960s

BRIONVEGA MOD. TS 502 Brionvega. Italy, mid-1960s

RUHMKORFF COIL used in physics laboratories in the late 19th and early 20th century

CGE MOD. 195 SUPERGIOIELLO Italy, Milan, 1951–1952

RADIOMARELLI MOD. ARIONE Italy, Milan, 1934–1935

ELECTROMECHANICAL WORKS MOD. ZVEZDA 54 Russia, 1954–1955

NATIONAL PANASONIC MOD. R-72 “TOOT-A-LOOP” Japan, early 1970s

PHILIPS MOD. RRXVI RADIORURALE Italy, 1938–1939

RADIOMARELLI MOD. 9U15 “FIDO O.C.” Italy, Milan, 1945

PHILIPS MOD. 930 A Holland, 1930–1931

SAFAR MOD. USIGNOLO Italy, Milan, 1933–1934

EMERSON MOD. 888 PIONEER USA, New York, late 1950s

DUCATI MOD. RR 3404 Italy, 1941–1942

WELTRON MOD. 2001 Japan, early 1970s

MAGNAVOX MOD. R2 USA, Oakland, California, 1922–1924

WATT RADIO MOD. SIDERODINA Italy, Turin, 1934–1935

AMPLION MOD. AR 114 “DRAGON” England, London, mid-1920s

MARCONI VALVOLA MOD. MT31 Transmitting triode with air cooling, 1935

GRUNDIG MOD. SATELLIT 2000 Germany, mid-1970s

LESA MOD. FUNNY Italy, Milan, 1970–1971

The radio also became a commercial gadget

IRRADIO MOD. DX 6 Italy, Milan, 1939–1940

RT174/PRC8 US Army transceiver, classic shoulder-mounted model, 1960s–1970s

TELEFUNKEN MOD. R546 “MIGNONETTE 36” Italy, 1963–1966

EUROPHON MOD. RADAR Italy, Milan, mid-1960s

BRIONVEGA MOD. TS 502 Brionvega. Italy, mid-1960s

Collections

Beyond radios

Historical photos, artistic prints, first-edition publications, records and audio material are also central to the exhibition, accompanying the exhibited equipment in a dialogue that combines radio and society, material exhibits and memories.

The museum experience offers a multidisciplinary journey encompassing great events in Italian history and people’s everyday stories. It safeguards the historical record but above all inspires future generations to explore and appreciate the history of telecommunications from its origins to its future.

Thank you to Giulio Bottos, Paolo Campaner, Ermanno Contelli, Gabriele Marcuzzo, Gianfranco Pizzinato and Pier Giorgio Vendramini for donating their collections.