The Art Deco era brought new designs and materials to radio manufacturing, notably molded resins like bakelite, plaskon, catalin, and beetle (although some really cool deco radios were made of wood). These resins were dyed and colored, sometimes with swirls or marbled patterns.

Speaker grilles on Deco style radios were slotted, round, square, or tombstone shaped, but many were also designed with aesthetics in mind, and overlaid with patterns and designs. The big manufacturers of this era were Emerson, Philco, Zenith, Fada, and General Electric.

To collectors of Art Deco radios, aesthetics and condition are everything. Many resin cases faded or discolored over time, so truly beautiful, original Art Deco style radios are quite rare. This is what makes this particular Emerson radio so special, the pristine condition its in. The bakelite has no signs of fading what so ever.