Majestic Radios

Majestic Radios was an American radio brand from 1927 to 1955, trademarked as "The Mighty Monarchs of the Air". Noted for their high quality, they were initially manufactured by the Grigsby-Grunow company of Chicago.[1] After Grigsby-Grunow's demise in 1934 during the Depression, the radios were produced by Majestic Radio & Television in the 1930s–1940s. Following Majestic Radio & Television's liquidation in 1949, Majestic-brand radios were made by a division of Wilcox-Gay at their Michigan factory.

For the former semi-professional American football team known as the "Majestic Radios", see J.P. Rooneys.
Model 161, introduced in 1933

Grigsby-Grunow years (1927–1934)

Formation and development

Before embarking on radio manufacturing, the Grigsby-Grunow company had started in 1921 as a maker of automotive accessories in Chicago,[2] co-founded by Bertram James Grigsby and William Carl Grunow.[3][4] With the growing popularity of the new commercial broadcasting radio medium in the prosperous 1920s, there was increasing consumer demand for better console radios suitable for the living room or parlor of affluent households. In 1927, Grigsby-Grunow began making "Majestic" radios featuring dynamic speakers with moving-coils and advanced circuitry employing screen-grid tubes for improved reception. The Majestic Model #71 introduced in 1927, for example, was a tuned radio frequency receiver with a 9" speaker, powered from AC house current.[5] This was a considerable improvement over previous radios with their typically poor selectivity, hooked up to a battery and producing inferior sound from old-fashioned horn speakers or earphones. Majestic radios were highly regarded for their handsome cabinetry and superior loudspeaker quality.[1] Model #131, a floor console made in 1930, had an 8-tube circuit for high sensitivity and selectivity, along with a 12" speaker.[5]

The "Roaring Twenties"

To promote its radio sales, Grigsby-Grunow sponsored The Majestic Theater of the Air on the CBS radio network beginning in October, 1928.[6][7] By 1928, the company enjoyed booming sales and had become the second largest U.S. radio manufacturer, behind RCA and ahead of Atwater-Kent.[8] Grigsby-Grunow was producing 4,000 radios a day and shipping them by the trainload nationwide, newspapers reported.[9] Majestic's trademarked slogan was "The Mighty Monarch of the Air" and its advertising in 1930 touted a 40% market share of U.S. and Canada radio sales.[10] Prices ranged from $126.50 to $235 in 1930 (equivalent to $1,890–$3,500 in 2020), with installment purchase plans offered by many dealers.[10] In a March, 1930, review, the Charlotte Observer said the Majestic brand was "famous the world over for its excellent reception and colorful tone", with "striking yet tasteful cabinet designs".[1] Indeed, so highly regarded were the radios that Graf Zeppelin navigator Max Pruss purchased a set in 1929 while his dirigible was moored at Naval Air Station, Lakehurst (NJ), to take back to his home in Germany. Graf Zeppelin captain Hugo Eckener had purchased his own set on a previous visit to the United States.[11]

At its peak in 1930, Grigsby-Grunow employed 11,000 workers at its Chicago factory and sales reached $61 million annually.[2] Its stock price had reached dizzying heights and was called "the sensation of the Chicago Exchange": a share purchased at $40 in 1928 had risen to $1,100 in value (taking into account multiple 4-for-1 stock splits).[2][12] Radio stocks as a new technology were particularly attractive in the rush to buy common stocks during the Roaring Twenties. As Thurman Arnold wrote in 1965: "Economists argued that when you buy common stocks, you buy the future, not the present. Names like Auburn, Grigsby-Grunow, Kolster Radio – names you no longer hear of – flashed across the ticker tape".[13]

The Depression years

After the stock market crash of 1929, Grigsby-Grunow's stock began a steep decline, eventually down to $18 per share. As the Depression worsened, the company faced a number of patent infringement lawsuits and declining sales for its expensive console models.[4] By mid-1930, TIME magazine was reporting on the unsold inventory of Majestic radios and decreasing company revenue, as consumers curtailed spending on luxury items, saying, "the radio industry is a ... sufferer in time of depression".[12] Grunow, notoriously irascible by nature, was forced out as president in 1931 as sales declined.[3][4][14] Majestic introduced its "Smart Set" line of less expensive, but stylish, table radios in mid-1933, which enjoyed strong sales. The model 161 (pictured) produced in 1933 was a superheterodyne receiver with Art Deco-style chrome decorative trim adorning the loudspeaker grill cloth and a hand-rubbed mahogany cabinet, having a list price of $47.50.[15] Nonetheless, Grigsby-Grunow declared bankruptcy in November, 1933, and ended production of Majestic Radios in February, 1934.[14] When the bankruptcy court rejected its reorganization plan, Grigsby-Grunow was forced into liquidation in June, 1934.

"Majestic Radio & Television" Years (1936–1949)
Majestic portable radio (1947)

Despite the collapse of Grigsby-Grunow, Majestic Radios continued to be made through subsequent corporate ownership changes and reorganizations for another nineteen years. In 1936, the assets of the defunct Grigsby-Grunow company were acquired by a new investment group, led by Zenith Radio.[2] Included in the acquisition were the trademarks "Majestic Radio" and "The Mighty Monarch of the Air", along with unsold inventory, manufacturing equipment, and Grigsby-Grunow's former Chicago factory, which Zenith needed for its own expansion plans. The Majestic Radio & Television company was formed, with stock in the new company offered at $3.75 per share in October, 1936, to raise working capital and facilitate business expansion.[16] Davega Stores became a principal stockholder, owning 175,000 shares.[17] Majestic Radio & Television reorganized again after filing for bankruptcy on October 24, 1939.[17]

Following the end of World War II, the company optimistically invested $600,000 in a new, 161,000-square-foot (15,000 m2) factory on 69 acres (28 ha) in Elgin, Illinois.[18] Majestic's product line included colorful, futuristic tabletop sets, as well as combination radio and phonograph consoles with FM tuners, beginning in 1947.[19][20] However, the expected postwar demand for radios did not materialize and by February, 1948, they were once more bankrupt.[21][22] On May 27, 1949, the Federal bankruptcy court judge ordered the company's liquidation, as recommended by the trustees who concluded reorganization was not feasible. They attributed the company's failure to declining radio sales and price cutting, as well as the lack of success in television manufacturing.[23] Pursuant to the court's order, the Elgin factory was sold at auction in November of that year, along with inventory, equipment, and "goodwill".[24]

Wilcox-Gay final years (1950s)

On August 22, 1950, the acquisition of Majestic Radio & TV was approved by the shareholders of Wilcox-Gay, a manufacturer of recording equipment.[25] Wilcox-Gay then manufactured Majestic brand radios and televisions at their factory in Charlotte, Michigan (near Lansing). A line of eight Majestic radio models was offered, along with television sets.[26] Wilcox-Gay filed for bankruptcy in January, 1955, and eventually closed in December, 1958, ending the production of Majestic radios permanently.[27][28]

As collectors' items

Radios from the Grigsby-Grunow halcyon era of the late 1920s–early 1930s have become antique radio collectors' items, prized for their craftmanship and appearance.[29] Some models, such as the Art Deco-styled model 161 produced in 1933, have been fully restored.[15]

References
  1. "Another Great Year for Mighty Monarchs of Air". Charlotte Observer. March 24, 1930. p. 15.
  2. "Grigsby Radio Holdings Sold". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. AP. June 17, 1936. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "William Grunow, Once Radio Leader" (PDF). New York Times. Associated Press (AP). Retrieved November 16, 2020.(subscription required)
  4. "Business: Deals & Developments". TIME. January 4, 1932. Retrieved November 26, 2020.(subscription required)
  5. "Majestic Collection". majesticradios.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  6. "Wendell Hall Back to Active Work on Radio". The Sacramento Bee. August 17, 1929.
  7. "Coast-to-Coast Hookup Planned for Majestic's Sunday Radio Programs". Altoona Tribune. November 10, 1928. p. 19.
  8. Ellis, William E. (Spring 1980). "Labor-Management Relations in the Progressive Era". The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society. 78 (2): 146. JSTOR 23378790.
  9. "Mass-production Methods Succeed". Reading Times. March 26, 1929. p. 10.
  10. "The Mighty Monarch of the Air (advertisement)". El Reno Daily Tribune. June 29, 1930. p. 7.
  11. "Majestic Radio on board the Graf Zeppelin". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. September 20, 1929 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Business: Grigsby-Grunow". TIME. June 30, 1930. Retrieved November 26, 2020.(subscription required)
  13. Arnold, Thurman (Spring 1965). "Roosevelt's Contribution to the American Competitive Ideal". The Centennial Review. Michigan State University. 9 (2): 197. JSTOR 23737683.
  14. "Business: Fallen Comet". TIME. December 4, 1933. Retrieved November 26, 2020.(subscription required)
  15. Majestic, Richard (May 2012). "The 1933 Majestic 161 Chrome-Front Radio" (PDF). Antique Radio Classified. 29 (5): 12–15. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  16. "Majestic Radio Offering Closed". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 30, 1936. p. 27.
  17. "Majestic Radio Works on Plan". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 25, 1939. p. 21.
  18. "Two New Radio Factories Will Cost $1.3 Million". Chicago Tribune. September 30, 1945. p. 27.
  19. "Model 8FM776 (1947)". Radio Attic Archives. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  20. "Model 5A410 (1946)". Radio Attic Archives. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  21. "Facts & Figures, Feb. 16, 1948". TIME. Retrieved November 26, 2020.(subscription required)
  22. Schneider, Lou (February 14, 1948). "Downtrend of Grain Prices Heads to Parity Support". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. 24.
  23. "Liquidation Ordered for Majestic Radio" (PDF). New York Times. AP. May 28, 1949. Retrieved November 16, 2020.(subscription required)
  24. "One of Chicagoland's Choicest Daylight Plants (advertisement)". Chicago Tribune. November 2, 1949. p. 38.
  25. "New Plan Approved for Majestic Radio" (PDF). New York Times. August 23, 1950. Retrieved November 16, 2020.(subscription required)
  26. "Ogden Firm To Distribute Majestic TV". Deseret News. September 24, 1950. p. 29.
  27. "Wilcox-Gay Moves to End TV Operations". Battle Creek Enquirer and News. March 22, 1955. p. 4.
  28. "Charlotte Smiles with Jobs in Sight". Battle Creek Enquirer and News. March 6, 1959. p. 22.
  29. "Majestic". Radio Attic's Archives. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
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