A rare 1948 portable radio withdrawn from sale because it resembled the Japanese flag looks set to dial up bidders’ interest.
Such was the public outcry when the British maker Pye launched its M78F acrylic radio, that the model was recalled and burnt.
The small radio, just 7¼in (18.5cm) high and marketed as “personal”, has an estimate of £700-£1,000 at Hansons Auctioneers’ 20th-century sale at its Etwall saleroom on October 10.
The Cambridge-based maker, Pye, adopted the rising sun design, in the art deco style, in the 1920s.
But only after WWII did it become immersed in controversy.
Hansons Auctioneers’ specialist, Barry Jones, said: “Between 1927 and 1937, Pye released more than a dozen models featuring a sunburst and sky design. After the war, in an effort to update the look, the clouds were removed. The redesign unintentionally resembled the Japanese flag.”
Once Pye spotted the mistake, it promptly issued a recall.
With the initial pre-production of 1,000, some 800 were returned.
While most were thrown on a heap and burnt at its Chesterton factory, some 200 survived, making them very rare and sought after today.
Barry continued: “Three years after the end of the war, a design so close to the Japanese flag must have sparked terrible memories for anyone who had fought in the Far East, or who had lost loved ones there. Such was the strength of feeling there were even reports of shop windows being smashed if they sold the controversial radio.”
Founded in 1896 by William George Pye, the company initially specialised in scientific instruments.
After WWI it shifted focus to domestic radio receivers, launching its first radio in 1922. The company quickly became a key player in the booming UK radio market during the 1930s, known for quality and innovation.
In the postwar years, Pye expanded into television manufacturing, becoming one of the first UK companies to produce TVs for the new BBC service in 1936, and later mass-producing them for the postwar market.
In the 1950s and 60s, Pye diversified into telecommunications, including mobile radio systems and police radios, and was a pioneer in early transistor and stereo technology. However, increased competition and financial pressures led to its acquisition by Philips in 1967. The Pye name is still remembered as a key part of Cambridge’s industrial heritage.
Auction Details
Auction: Derby October 20th Century Modern Art & Design Auction
Auction date: 10th October 2025 | 9:30am
Location: Hansons Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
