Events for the New Decade

As we come to the end of the year we have finished all our shows and events for the decade! how time flies. Retro Bazaar celebrates its 10th birthday in January and overall its been a fab ride. Some ups and downs with 2019 being a particularly difficult year.

The shows will start back up in January and as usual we will be touring round the country and looking forward to visiting our usual haunts. First off is the Vintage Furniture Flea returning to Cecil Sharp House, Camden. We usually do two shows a month, with the rest of the time spent buying and listing our stock on ebay & Vinterior.

Please check back early in January for a list of the events we will be attending in the New Year.


Unusual WWII American Glass Alarm Clock

Rare WWII glass mantle/alarm clock by Gilbert Clocks, Connecticut, USA

Great example of this rare clock in fabulous condition – no chips or nicks to the glass. It comes with its box, original instructions and information about its production and can be dated between 1942 – 45.  

Unlike other clockmakers who stopped production and were drafted into the war effort Gilbert carried on making clocks as alarm clocks were deemed essential to wake up the workers. To avoid the use of restricted materials such as metal and wood, they made their clocks out of papier maché and moulded glass. Buying one of these clocks was also seen as helping the war effort.

The clock has a mechanical wind up movement with separate winder for the alarm. Both the clock and the alarm are in full working order.   

Currently in stock in our shop.


Radio Gaga

So a couple of weeks ago we got a phone call out of the blue from BBC Radio Northampton. They needed an ‘expert’ to talk about the new Bluetooth Cassette Tape players which have just been launched after crowdfunding.

Research done and notes made I was ready for my big interview…….then with an hour to go before the broadcast I was pulled for another guest, but they did reschedule for the next day. Cue an evening and morning of nerves and impromptu dieting as I couldn’t eat anything.

Eventually the researcher phoned back and said we were a go. Had a lovely chat with the DJ about these new cassette players and he was great at giving the business a plug – more than I was! Fortunately he were also interested in what we are doing; rescuing all these beautiful old radios, speakers & telephones from landfill and converting them for use today.

So it all went swimmingly and luckily they didn’t ask too many difficult questions. If you would like to have listen to the interview follow the link below:


Lazarus the Radio

This is Lazarus our latest transformation from wrecked radio to Bluetooth Speaker.  Found in a house clearance at the back of a garage where it had probably lived for many years this old radio has been rescued, repaired & renovated.

Original Condition

When we bought it we thought it might be beyond economical repair but the knobs were worth rescuing!

We did some investigation and we identified it as a GEC BC4040 valve radio made by General Electric Co, London in 1939. It is a big beastie measuring 18.5 inches long (45cm) and very heavy

Once we got it back to the workshop we realised that the Bakelite was in OK condition, a few wounds and scars but no breaks or bits missing. The speaker had had it and the dial was illegible – both had suffered over the years and were covered with mould. The base & back were the same and the internals were all rusty, but on the plus side it did have all its knobs!

As we had a bit of a break in our busy schedule we decided to bite the bullet and tackle the renovation. The radio was taken apart, the innards were scrubbed down, Bakelite was washed, dried and polished. The material was replaced and we upgraded it to stereo adding a speaker each side – it would have been mono originally. We sprayed the original glass to hide the gap from the missing dial and installed bulbs behind so it still lights up. The Bluetooth technology was added with new wiring and the result is the pretty beastie below.

The Finished Article

We love it and have obviously named him Lazarus. It sounds fab and is another gorgeous Art Deco, pre WWII radio saved from landfill.

More information about this radio can be found on the fab radio museum site https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/general_el_bc4040_bc_4040.html


Midcentury Modern Returning to The Hepworth

Modern Shows return for their two day northern pop-up event at The Hepworth art museum Wakefield. The fair is held in ‘The Calder’ a converted mill on the museums site.

Their London shows attract interiors fans from around Europe looking to find the best in collectible vintage furniture and design for the home. Come and buy some awesome 20th Century design from the dealers, while getting free entry into the incredible Hepworth Gallery and the wonderful Barbara Hepworth collection.

We will be bringing a selection of our vintage technology including our Bluetooth speakers, record players, vintage telephones and lights plus some cool Midcentury pieces of furniture, glass and ceramics.

Make a weekend of it by visiting neighbouring Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Henry Moore Institute.


Can you Bluetooth my Grans Old Radio?

A lot of people ask us at our shows about converting a vintage radio which belonged to their parents or grandparents. We are happy to do this and have done many in the past.

If you want a conversion carried out we can convert your radio in one of 3 ways:

  • Bluetooth only
  • Wired only
  • Bluetooth with Aux in

If you are interested in having a conversion carried out you can bring your radio to one of the shows we are attending where we can assess its viability. Alternatively send us detailed pictures and we can let you know if conversion is possible.

A standard conversion starts at £80 but the final cost will depend on the following:

  • the size of your radio – if it is very small it maybe too difficult to get the extra tech inside
  • whether the speaker still works or is unusable – we can replace the speaker with a suitable alternative if it is torn but most of the time the original speaker is usable
  • whether you want the exterior cleaned/ restored.

Once converted the radio will be able to connect to any portable music player including iPad, tablet, smartphone or any other Bluetooth device including Amazon Echo. It will no longer work as a conventional radio, though you will be able to stream digital radio through your phone or tablet using an app such as iplayer or BBC sounds.

Contact us if you are interested https://retro-bazaar.co.uk/contact-us/

 


Show Setup – Time Lapse

We set up a camera and did a time lapse capture of setting up a show and all that’s involved.

From turning up at 8am to set up for a 10.30am start to show close at 4.30pm to leaving the building about two hours later – this film should give you a little insight into the effort involved in getting a stall set up from a blank space, to the show in full swing and back to empty again.

Follow the Youtube link – RB Time Lapse

This film was taken at a Furniture Flea at York Hall Bethnal Green last year

Furniture Flea, York Hall, Bethnal Green

 


Retro Bazaar Playlist

When we are selling our wares at events round the country many customers and traders compliment us on the music we use to demo our Bluetooth speakers. We take time putting together an appropriate list of music to play and this is now available on Spotify. Add it as one of your playlists by following the link. Enjoy!

Retro Bazaar Playlist


Using your Retro Bazaar Bluetooth Speaker

We are often asked about our Bluetooth speakers and how difficult are they to use – especially if you are a bit of a technophobe. In all honesty they are quick to connect to your devices – whether it’s a smartphone, tablet or even an Amazon Echo. Below are some helpful tips and hints for getting started and some of the most asked questions.

Getting Started

Due to the differences in today’s Smartphones & tablets, these are general instructions, intended to assist in the connection (or pairing) of your device to your speaker. This normally only needs to be done once per device, as the information is retained once the process has been completed.

Activating your Speaker
  • Ensure the power lead is connected to your speaker. The power lead plugs into a small circular connector on the back. Ensure you push it in fully, sometimes giving the plug a twist as you connect it can help it go in all the way.
  • Turn on your speaker using the volume control, or ‘On/Off’ button, and wait for around 20 seconds to allow the Bluetooth device to initialise.
Connecting your Phone or Tablet
  • Check that you have activated Bluetooth on your phone or tablet.
  • Open the settings screen and select the Bluetooth page. You should see a device called “KRC-XXB” where XX is a number. Select this to pair your phone or tablet with your speaker.
  • Once your device has connected turn the volume up to its loudest
  • Open your favourite music app and start playing; the music should now come through your speaker.
Turning your speaker off
  • To turn the speaker off, turn the volume control fully anti-clockwise, you will hear a click.
Reconnecting your Phone or Tablet
  • When you turn the speaker on again, (after you have paired it with your phone), the speaker will automatically connect to the last device used.
Auxiliary Input
  • If your Bluetooth Speaker has an aux in option please ensure Bluetooth is turned OFF on your Smartphone or tablet before you use speaker.

Frequently Asked Questions

My speaker is too quiet

Turn up the volume on your phone. The volume can be adjusted either by using the volume control on the speaker or on the phone.

I can’t connect to my speaker

Only one device can connect at a time, make sure a different device hasn’t connected. The last used device will be the first to be connected the next time it’s switched on.

The AUX in isn’t working

Make sure you have turned off Bluetooth on your phone, the AUX in will only work if no Bluetooth devices are connected.

Can I adjust the Bass/treble?

Most devices and streaming software allow you to set this in the App i.e. Spotify, iTunes

Can I connect my speaker to an Amazon Echo or a Google Home device?

Yes, the output from the Echo or Home will be sent to your speaker when it is on. Refer to your device’s instructions for pairing instructions.

The cable you have supplied is too short. Can I get an extension?

The cable is kept short for safety reasons, however we are able to make extensions to your exact length requirement, contact us for details.


Getting Ready for the Season….of Shopping!

The summer break is over and the shows are ramping up. We will be attending a furniture and homewares show every weekend for the next 8 weeks around the country. We will be visiting London, Bristol, Leeds and Cambridge (Details on the Events Page )

We’re looking forward to bringing our great stock to lots of new and existing customers. We love the vintage fairs, although setting up in time is always a bit of a trial! Naturally we’ll be bringing our great range of Speakers, Radiograms, Lighting, Furniture and much, much more.