Rhode Island Radio - Polleroyal

The first mention of Royal Radio Corporation, the producer of Polle Royal Radios, was in 1925 in the Providence Directory ². Address was 19 Calender, 6th FL. This listing continued in 1926 ³ then in 1927 ⁴ and 1928 ⁵ we see the addition of Louis Potemkin as President and Treasurer.

Providence Journal
February 20, 1926

United States Patent Office
1926

Official Gazette
Of The
United States Patent Office
Volume 345
April 20, 1926

In June of 1926 we see radio programming for the Polle Royal Radio Ensemble.

Providence Journal June 13, 1926

QST December 1926
Formica Insulation Company, Cincinnati Ohio
Seem to be producing Polle Royal front panels.

The Beverly City Directory and North Shore Map
1926

In 1927, an Injuction is sought against Royal Radio and Potemkin by Radio Corporation of America, General Electric Company and Westinghouse Electic and Manufacturing Company. This injunction restrained the Royal from using 11 patents in their manufacturing. ⁷

Pawtucket Times September 9, 1927

Ned Connors, local historian and preservation consultant, who works with the Rhode Island Historical Society, found this in the Rhode Island State Archives:

Royal Radio Corporation
Principals Spencer Over, Harry Ormiston and Ethel B. Love
Chartered on January 13th, 1926
Capitalized at $60,000
Trademark for Radio Receiving Sets and Radio Parts Granted April 20th 1926
Amended in 1929 with a name change to Polle Royal Machine and Novelty Company.

We find that on June 12th, 1929, Polle Royal has a close out sale. Possibly a sign that the company is struggeling.

Providence Journal June 12, 1929

Classified Ads 1929-1931

On December 21st, 1930, Polle Royal lost a case to the Wocester Gear Works, $336.40 in damages

Providence Journal December 3, 1930

Providence Journal December 21, 1930

On July 22nd, 1930, Polle Royal lost another case, this time to The Mason Box Company, $156.05 in damages

Providence Journal July 22, 1930

On September 9th, 1930, Polle Royal was again a loser in a case brought on by Belcher & Loomis Hardware, $59.81 and costs

Providence Journal September 9, 1930

In 1931 listings we see the name switch to the Polle Royal Machine and Novelty Company which goes along with what Ned found. It also switched address to 25 Calender, 1st fl ⁶.

I have actually found one of their novilities and it actually looks radio related. This is a cigar lighter that looks like a microphone. It was solid brass 3 " x 2 " and could be used to light a cigar or cigarette. It plugged into 110volt AC or DC plug and you pressed the black buttom while touching the cigarette to the coil unit which became instantly hot. The directions list it as being Manufactured by Polle Royal Machine & Novelty Company Providence, RI.

One of the last mentions of Royal Radio and Mr Potemkin in 1931 ⁶

Then in 1932 we see the death nail in the company in the form of a Mortgagee sale of equipment at the 25 Calender Street factory.

Providence Journal March 1, 1932

Ads

Click to enlarge

Providence Journal December 28, 1924

Click to enlarge

Providence Journal December 28, 1924

Woonsocket Call October 30, 1925

Woonsocket Call October 30, 1925

Woonsocket Call November 6, 1925

Woonsocket Call November 13, 1925

Pawtucket Times
November 27, 1925

Pawtucket Times
November 20, 1925

Pawtucket Times
November 27, 1925

Woonsocket Call December 4, 1925

Pawtucket Times
January 1, 1926

Woonsocket Call January 21, 1926

Pawtucket Times January 21, 1926

Pawtucket Times February 5, 1926

Woonsocket Call February 5, 1926

Providence Journal April 4, 1926

Pawtucket Times
October 29, 1926

Woonsocket Call December 3, 1926

Woonsocket Call December 10, 1926

Pawtucket Times
November 12, 1926

Woonsocket Call December 2, 1927

Providence Journal December 12, 1926

Woonsocket Call December 16, 1927

Woonsocket Call January 7, 1927

Pawtucket Times January 10, 1927

Pawtucket Times
February 11, 1927

Pawtucket Times March 4, 1927

Pawtucket Times
October 14, 1927

Pawtucket Times
November 18, 1927

Providence Journal November 20, 1927

Pawtucket Times December 2, 1927

Pawtucket Times December 23, 1927

Providence Journal December 26, 1927

Pawtucket Times January 6, 1928

Providence Journal January 8, 1928

Pawtucket Times January 13 1928

Providence Journal January 15, 1928

Pawtucket Times January 20, 1928

Woonsocket Call January 20, 1928

Pawtucket Times
February 24, 1928

Pawtucket Times
March 9, 1928

Woonsocket Call March 30, 1928

Pawtucket Times
March 30, 1928

Pawtucket Times
March 30, 1928

Pawtucket Times October 3, 1928

Woonsocket Call June 20, 1929

Sets

Click to enlarge
Royal Radio Corporation
Providence, RI

Click to enlarge
Royal Radio Corporation
AC Set
Providence, RI

Click to enlarge
Polle Royal Single Dial Battery Set
Providence, RI

Click to enlarge
Polle Royal Single Dial Battery Set Blueprint
Providence, RI

PolleRoyal AC Radio Patents

US1113149	US1129942	US1158123	US1173179
US1231764	US1282439	US1313094	US1329283
US1398565	US1618017	US1173079	US1195632
US1201272	US1273627	US1520994	US1251377
US1313094	US1398665	US1426754	US1432022
US1448550	US1459412	US1465332

Click to enlarge

Polle Royal 5 Tube Consol.

Click to enlarge

Polle Royal 5 Tube Consol.

Click to enlarge

Polle Royal 5 Tube Consol.
With Horn Missing

Click to enlarge

Polle Royal 5 Tube Consol.

Click to enlarge

Polle Royal 5 Tube Consol.

Click to enlarge

Polle Royal Case With Different Lid.

Click to enlarge

Polle Royal Case With Different Lid.

Polle Royal AC Set.

Polle Royal AC Set.

Polle Royal AC Set.

Polle Royal AC Set.

Polle Royal AC Set.

2 Tube Home Brew
Made with salvaged Polle Royal 5 Tube parts,
not a production model.

Click to enlarge

2 Tube Home Brew
Made with salvaged Polle Royal 5 Tube parts,
not a production model.

Click to enlarge

2 Tube Home Brew
Made with salvaged Polle Royal 5 Tube parts,
not a production model.

Click to enlarge
Polle Royal Phamplet
Hub Cycle & Auto
Supply Co., Inc.
Royal Radio Corp
Providence, RI

Click to enlarge
Hub Cycle & Auto
Supply Co., Inc.
Polle Royal Phamplet
"B" Eliminator
Royal Radio Corp
Providence, RI

Click to enlarge
Polle Royal Phamplet
Hub Cycle & Auto
Supply Co., Inc.
1928
Royal Radio Corp
Providence, RI

Click to enlarge
Polle Royal Pages
Hub Cycle & Auto
Supply Co., Inc.
1928
Royal Radio Corp
Providence, RI

Ads ¹

Click to enlarge	Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge	Click to enlarge
Fitchburg Sentinel September 2nd 1927	Fitchburg Sentinel September 9th 1927
Fitchburg Sentinel October 14th 1927	Fitchburg Sentinel March 2nd 1928
Fitchburg Sentinel November 12th 1926	Fitchburg Sentinel October 6th 1927
Fitchburg Sentinel February 4th 1927	Fitchburg Sentinel April 1st 1927
Click to enlarge The Bridgeport Telegram November 5th 1926	Fitchburg Sentinel December 14th 1926
Click to enlarge The Bridgeport Telegram December 5th 1926	Click to enlarge The Bridgeport Telegram November 5th 1926
Click to enlarge Fitchburg Sentinel October 21st, 1927	Click to enlarge Fitchburg Sentinel October 7th, 1927
Click to enlarge The Bridgeport Telegram November 12th, 1926	Providence Journal December 6, 1926 Click to enlarge Hartford Courant October 2, 1927
Click to enlarge Boston Herald September 9th 1926	Click to enlarge Boston Herald April 17, 1927