Westinghouse Micarta H-122 "DUO" Tabletop Radio-Phonograph
June 1948 Radio News

June 1948 Radio News [Table of Contents] Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio & Television News, published 1919-1959. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

Micarta was a relatively significant synthetic material when George Westinghouse invented it sometime around 1910. It was a composite of phenolic resins mixed with structural components like paper, wool, cotton, linen, and others which would facilitate molding into simple and complex shapes. Although even the wooden cabinets manufactured at the time were often very curvaceous and decorative, the process was expensive compared to molding in forms. Micarta has the advantage of being hard and rigid for good structural integrity, but since the color permeated the part, scratched and dings did not show as readily. Its high resistivity made it a good insulator so use in high voltage assemblies and for circuit boards was common. Look at just about any electronic or electrical product dating before about 1950 and you will almost surely find Micarta (or a variation of it, like Bakelite) somewhere in or on it. This 1940 issue of Radio News magazine included a full-page advertisement for the Westinghouse "DUO" combination radio and phonograph. A good bunch of photos are in an eBay listing running at the moment, which you can see by clicking on the thumbnail tot he left (I saved a copy of the page on Archive.org since it will soon go away). Here is a 1913 announcement for Micarta in the American Machinist publication. Here is a very informative webpage on the early history of Micarta (note the manufacturing employees working in hazardous situations without eye, ear, or other forms of protection).

Westinghouse Micarta H-122 "DUO" Tabletop Radio-Phonograph

Now ... Westinghouse Give You the First Genuine Cabinet Development in 25 Years

The Duo cased in Micarta

... The Miracle Material

Tough enough for gears, bearings, and bushings ... beautiful enough for fine furniture - that's Westinghouse Micarta, the miracle material that won't burn, stain. crack, warp, dent, chip, or splinter!

Demonstrate this indestructible cabinet to your customers! Snuff out cigarettes on it. Prove to them that alcohol won't stain it. Let them lift out the carry-about radio. Have them listen to the full, rich tone of the radio ... the true-to-life reproduction of the automatic record player.

Then clinch your sales with the welcome news that Micarta's ease of fabrication makes possible a significant price reduction you can pass on to them.

Stock up on the Micarta Duo today! Watch this feature-packed combination pile up sales for you!

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Posted February 23, 2022