Goldstar, which now exists as global conglomerate LG, consulted a German technician and hired a radio repairman, Kim Hae-su, to develop the A-501. (image: Kobay)
SEOUL, June 17 (Korea Bizwire) – The first Korean radio, which was manufactured 57 years ago, is heading to auction.
Kobay, an auction company for cultural arts, revealed Thursday that a 1959 radio, model A-501 developed by Goldstar, was submitted for an upcoming auction on June 22, which will take place at 3 p.m. at So-woon Hall in Jongno district, Seoul.
Goldstar, which now exists as global conglomerate LG, consulted a German technician and hired a radio repairman, Kim Hae-su, to develop the A-501. It was modelled after Sanyo’s SF-78, with 60 percent of the device’s components manufactured in Korea.
A total of 87 units were manufactured, and the one currently preserved by LG is designated as No. 559-1 of Registered Cultural Heritage.
“Very few of these radios survived, and many of them have had parts replaced over the years,” said a Kobay official. “But this particular unit still has its original tube, speaker, and volume dials.”
The auction will start at 73 million won ($62,000).
Kobay will also auction ancient medical books from the Joseon Dynasty, including a book by Heo Jun, Joseon’s most celebrated court physician. The auction for Heo Jun’s ‘Shinchan-byeok-onbang’, a 1613 book containing preventive and treatment methods for infectious diseases, will start at 150 million won ($127,000).
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
