British Made Rola Speaker - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

alien2earthling · 8th Mar 2021, 3:14 pm

Hi Good Afternoon, I have just picked up a speaker from a local auction house. I bid on it whilst in a lockdown stupor. I bought the speaker for its surround design I doubt the speaker will work as the cones torn. Could anyone out there shed any light on it’s age and it’s use. I thought it maybe a tannoy speaker it measures around a foot square
Any ideas would be great
Many thanks

paulsherwin · 8th Mar 2021, 3:26 pm

Rola were a British loudspeaker manufacturer.

That appears to be a promotional item for display by radio dealers - very unusual. At a guess, it will date from the late 40s or 50s.

Hartley118 · 8th Mar 2021, 4:14 pm

That's a rather attractive showpiece! Never mind about the tear in the cone: that should be readily repairable with kitched paper towel and dilute PVA glue. See this thread for further suggestions https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ir#post1305914 .

Looking at the design, particularly that giant 'compressed horseshoe' magnet, my guess for its date would be early to mid 1930s, prior to the advent of efficient magnet alloys such as alni and alnico.

It looks like you've also got a rather useful output transformer to match the speaker to a high impedance extension speaker connection - relatively common in the 1930s.

That central spider could make it straightforward to re-centre the coil if it's wandered off.

I'd give it a try right away.

Martin

Cobaltblue · 8th Mar 2021, 4:17 pm

I think its pre-war but agree that its a promotional item.

Would have been used as a demonstrator bear in mind that building radios was a huge hobby before the war as well as shortly after.

I saw an almost identical one for sale I think at Harpenden BVWS meet in the 1990's#

Crossed with Martin

Cheers

Mike T

paulsherwin · 8th Mar 2021, 4:24 pm

On reflection, the typography does look more 30s than 50s.

usradcoll1 · 8th Mar 2021, 4:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

On reflection, the typography does look more 30s than 50s.

That's what I thought, as well.
There are many quality speaker firms in the US. Rola was outstanding!
I liked Rola and Quam the best. Philco USA, bought mostly Rola speakers when they quit making their own.
Dave, USradcoll1.

Nickthedentist · 8th Mar 2021, 5:01 pm

Beautiful!

I've seen one before somewhere, probably on this forum, but no sign of it on a quick search.

alien2earthling · 8th Mar 2021, 7:43 pm

Thanks all of you, really interesting I thought it was from the pre 1950s but it never crossed my mind that it was a shop display promotional use but that makes total sense. Interesting that cobaltblue mentioned that he thought it was pre war.
Thanks again Gareth

stacman · 8th Mar 2021, 7:47 pm

Wasn't Rola tied with Celestion at some point?

wd40addict · 8th Mar 2021, 10:06 pm

Yes: https://www.bygonetones.com/the-hist...celestion.html

rontech · 9th Mar 2021, 10:09 am

My father's RGD Model 625 table radio from 1937 had a Rola "mains energised" speaker.

Rola were associated with Celestion post war I think.

alien2earthling · 11th Mar 2021, 1:43 pm

Hi all thanks for the help I’ve posted it in action on my instagram account here’s a link https://www.instagram.com/p/CMR0poYs...=1q8gpccw7vuz6

Techman · 11th Mar 2021, 2:04 pm

That is a rare and fantastic find!

I bet that cone damage only happened just recently. It could be repaired from behind if you're careful, but the tear won't stop it from working so long as you don't drive it too hard with lower frequencies (as you've just demonstrated).

I love it!

Nickthedentist · 11th Mar 2021, 2:15 pm

Wasn't one featured in a BVWS calender a few years back?

8th Mar 2021, 3:14 pm	#1
alien2earthling Diode Join Date: May 2014 Location: Cromer, Norfolk Posts: 7	British Made Rola Speaker Hi Good Afternoon, I have just picked up a speaker from a local auction house. I bid on it whilst in a lockdown stupor. I bought the speaker for its surround design I doubt the speaker will work as the cones torn. Could anyone out there shed any light on it’s age and it’s use. I thought it maybe a tannoy speaker it measures around a foot square Any ideas would be great Many thanks Attached Thumbnails

8th Mar 2021, 3:26 pm	#2
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,965	Re: British Made Rola Speaker Rola were a British loudspeaker manufacturer. That appears to be a promotional item for display by radio dealers - very unusual. At a guess, it will date from the late 40s or 50s.

8th Mar 2021, 4:14 pm	#3
Hartley118 Nonode Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK. Posts: 2,198	Re: British Made Rola Speaker That's a rather attractive showpiece! Never mind about the tear in the cone: that should be readily repairable with kitched paper towel and dilute PVA glue. See this thread for further suggestions https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ir#post1305914 . Looking at the design, particularly that giant 'compressed horseshoe' magnet, my guess for its date would be early to mid 1930s, prior to the advent of efficient magnet alloys such as alni and alnico. It looks like you've also got a rather useful output transformer to match the speaker to a high impedance extension speaker connection - relatively common in the 1930s. That central spider could make it straightforward to re-centre the coil if it's wandered off. I'd give it a try right away. Martin __________________ BVWS Member

8th Mar 2021, 4:17 pm	#4
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,875	Re: British Made Rola Speaker I think its pre-war but agree that its a promotional item. Would have been used as a demonstrator bear in mind that building radios was a huge hobby before the war as well as shortly after. I saw an almost identical one for sale I think at Harpenden BVWS meet in the 1990's# Crossed with Martin Cheers Mike T __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk Last edited by Cobaltblue; 8th Mar 2021 at 4:18 pm. Reason: crossed with Martin

8th Mar 2021, 4:24 pm	#5
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,965	Re: British Made Rola Speaker On reflection, the typography does look more 30s than 50s.

8th Mar 2021, 5:01 pm	#7
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,861	Re: British Made Rola Speaker Beautiful! I've seen one before somewhere, probably on this forum, but no sign of it on a quick search.

8th Mar 2021, 7:43 pm	#8
alien2earthling Diode Join Date: May 2014 Location: Cromer, Norfolk Posts: 7	Re: British Made Rola Speaker Thanks all of you, really interesting I thought it was from the pre 1950s but it never crossed my mind that it was a shop display promotional use but that makes total sense. Interesting that cobaltblue mentioned that he thought it was pre war. Thanks again Gareth

8th Mar 2021, 7:47 pm	#9
stacman Hexode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 278	Re: British Made Rola Speaker Wasn't Rola tied with Celestion at some point?

8th Mar 2021, 10:06 pm	#10
wd40addict Octode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stevenage, Herts. UK. Posts: 1,518	Re: British Made Rola Speaker Yes: https://www.bygonetones.com/the-hist...celestion.html

9th Mar 2021, 10:09 am	#11
rontech Heptode Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 646	Re: British Made Rola Speaker My father's RGD Model 625 table radio from 1937 had a Rola "mains energised" speaker. Rola were associated with Celestion post war I think. __________________ Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana

11th Mar 2021, 1:43 pm	#12
alien2earthling Diode Join Date: May 2014 Location: Cromer, Norfolk Posts: 7	Re: British Made Rola Speaker Hi all thanks for the help I’ve posted it in action on my instagram account here’s a link https://www.instagram.com/p/CMR0poYs...=1q8gpccw7vuz6

11th Mar 2021, 2:04 pm	#13
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 5,000	Re: British Made Rola Speaker That is a rare and fantastic find! I bet that cone damage only happened just recently. It could be repaired from behind if you're careful, but the tear won't stop it from working so long as you don't drive it too hard with lower frequencies (as you've just demonstrated). I love it!

11th Mar 2021, 2:15 pm	#14
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,861	Re: British Made Rola Speaker Wasn't one featured in a BVWS calender a few years back?