In a Nutshell
A collector's dream in perfect and working condition - and with original leather case

Introduction:
In August 1955 Sony introduced Japans first transistor radio, the famous TR-55, which sparked the name Sony and today commands 5-digit dollar prices, significantly more than the 5 months older world's first transistor radio Regency TR-1. Next, in January 1956 came the cherry wood encased TR-72 (I just sold mine), the first export model, mainly distributed through the Canadian GENDIS. The December 1957 pocket-sized model TR-63 was the first export model to USA, of which more than 100'000 were sold. The TR-74 of November 1957, offered here is the first Japanese full-fledged short-wave set, not counting the 2-band TR-62 from August 1957 (the frequency of the TR-62 is limited to the tropical band from 2.5-4.5 Mhz, because no high frequency transistors were yet available). The TR-74 may be even world's first shortwave transistor radio, a title normally attributed to Magnavox' AW-100; both were introduced at the end of 1957. Model TR-74 sports both the expiring first and the upcoming second Sony logo, and was followed in 1958 by Sony's and world's first FM transistor radio TR-151 in an almost identical cabinet. That cabinet is also shared by model TR-741, a domestic version of the TR-74 with a restricted frequency range. The radio wins the beauty contest: It has no back, it has two fronts like a Janus face, and the only way to tell is by comparing the position of the 3 ft long telescope antenna - left or right. Short-wave reception can best be optimized by using the radio in its "beach position" and rotating it together with the fixed antenna. A push-button matching the antenna design allows switching between the bands. The radio covers pretty much of the short-wave bands from 49m to 16m. The funny warning "CAUTION ON POLARITY OF BATTERY OR GIVE A DAMAGE TO TRANSISTOR" can be found also in model TR-62.

Additional information:
ref.1: http://www.tabiwallah.com/radiowallah/sony/tr74/tr74b.html
ref.2: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/sony_tr_74tr7.html
ref.3: https://www.flickr.com/photos/transistor_radios/sets/72157603555111543/
ref.4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp_R-_JDfmI&feature=youtu.be

About my Radio:
Serial numbers of this radio started at 10'000 and only 13'766 have been made, 8 times less than TR-63's. My radio has serial number 20065, so it is a late 10'065/13'766, consistent with its chrome fittings (not brass), silver 2T201 transistors (not black 2T2001), serial number tag with new (not old) logo, and main board R-7C3 (not R-7C2). The radio is in mint condition and - after service - is working extremely well, as verfied by the youtube video (ref.4 or click on thumbnail 27). Please e-mail me (Kris) for any questions, ich spreche Deutsch, je parle Français.

For the snoopies only:
The on/off-volume knob exhibits in addition the word "TROPICALIZED". Tropicalisation was a big issue after WWII, which made people aware that exposure of electric and electronic equipment to unfamiliar and extreme climates infringed on their proper working condition. It was in particular hot temperature, moisture, damp humidity, fungi, and insect and reptile ingress, that made it necessary to "tropicalize" such equipment by coating surfaces and components with anti-fungal and water-repellent sprays and minimizing passage-ways from outside to inside. Although no specifics are provided, the word itself sounds extremely promotional especially when the radio is primarily targeting export markets. The conjecture, that "tropical" here stands for short-wave in general, is far-fetched since it would much more apply to the TR-62, which covers only the tropical bands with frequencies between 2.5 and 4.5 MHz, and has no such label.

Here are the specifications:

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