Northern Electric Baby Champ 5200

The plastic dial cover was in quite good condition, so I was pleased to get this one. The lettering is printed on the front of the plastic, so most of them are usually scratched and worn. The only bad spot on this one is the "l" in "Electric".

The cabinet is bare bakelite. The bronze-coloured grille is perforated metal, and I'm guessing it was anodized, since the bare metal is silvery-grey.

I was able to find a newspaper advertisement (on microfilm) for this model, published December 1, 1948 in the Toronto Globe and Mail with this text:

Right Up There!

The NEW and GREATER Baby Champ in 6 colours

It's right up there on the Christmas gift list, this great little radio.

Powerful – rich tone – equipped to attach a record player – choice of six colours – sea grass green, alpine rose, desert sand, tusk ivory, delft blue, tortoise brown

The Baby Champ, the Biggest Little Radio in the World.

See your Northern Electric Dealer

Northern Electric Company Limited

LISTEN to the Northern Electric Hour (Forward With Canada) every Monday Evening Trans-Canada Network. See your papers for time and station.

As far as I can tell, the "tortoise brown" colour is the bare bakelite.

All I've done so far is polish it up a bit and made sure it wasn't a fire hazard.