Ekco AD-65: Art Deco geometry for radio listening
Ekco AD-65: Art Deco geometry for radio listening
The Ekco AD-65 shows how geometric, machine-age styling could shape a functional radio. Wells Coates designed it in 1932; E.K. Cole Ltd. (EKCO) manufactured it in 1934, using a Bakelite case, stainless steel and woven cloth.[1][2][3][4]
Two details make the design clear: its circular case rests on two integrated feet, and its circular speaker sits behind woven cloth crossed by three vertical stainless-steel bars.[5][6] The catalogue identifies it as a radio receiver for entertainment and audio, establishing its intended listening use, but not its price or market reach.[7][8]
The available research did not establish whether contemporary advertising presented the AD-65 specifically as an everyday appliance, or whether it was affordable or mass-produced. The evidence supports its practical purpose as a radio, but those broader marketing claims remain unverified.
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