Founders Gallery of American Design, North Wing

Radiant Portable White Plastic Radios 1936-1960

February 25, 2026 – October 4, 2026

Curated by Mary Platt

From the mid-1930s through the dawn of the 1960s, the portable radio became one of the most expressive and competitive consumer products on the American market. Thousands of manufacturers vied for attention, and industrial designers—many of them leaders in their field—turned radio cabinets into small sculptures of modern life. The examples in this exhibition, dating from 1936 to 1960, capture a remarkable evolution of form and style, from the bold geometry of Art Deco through the softer, streamlined silhouettes of the 1940s and into the optimistic, space-age vocabulary of the postwar years.

Equally fascinating is the story of materials. These radios were formed from the groundbreaking plastics of their time, including Plaskon, Bakelite, Styrene, Catalin and Beetle—each representing a new chapter in industrial chemistry and manufacturing. Their makers embraced these modern materials not only for durability and economy, but also for their ability to take on crisp shapes, brilliant colors and luminous surfaces that earlier materials could never achieve.

White emerged as one of the most popular and enduring color choices. It projected cleanliness, modernity and technological progress, and it complemented virtually every interior style, from the patterned wallpapers of the 1930s to the sleek, minimalist rooms of the 1950s. White radios felt fresh, sophisticated and reassuringly contemporary, making them equally at home in living rooms, kitchens, dorm rooms and offices.

Over time, some of these radios have retained their pristine brightness, while others have mellowed into soft ivories and warm creams, the result of aging plastics and decades of exposure to light and air. This natural transformation adds yet another layer of beauty and individuality, reminding us that these were not merely design objects, but compan­ions in daily life: carrying news, music, sports and entertainment into American homes during decades of profound cultural change.