Wilcox-Gay
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer electronics, radio manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Grigsby-Grunow Company (producer 1927–1934) |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Founder | Grigsby-Grunow Company |
| Defunct | 1955 |
| Successor | Majestic Radio & Television Corporation (1936–1949), Wilcox-Gay Corporation division (1950s) |
| Headquarters | Chicago (originally) , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada |
| Products | Radios, radio-phonograph consoles, televisions, household appliances (refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, washing machines) |
Majestic Radios represented a prominent American radio brand from 1927 until 1955, famously marketed under the slogan "The Mighty Monarchs of the Air". Renowned for their exceptional quality, these radios were originally produced by the Grigsby-Grunow Company based in Chicago. Following the company's failure in 1934 amid the Great Depression, the Majestic line persisted under different corporate ownerships for an additional 22 years. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, radios were manufactured by the Majestic Radio & Television Corporation. After this company was liquidated in 1949, production shifted to a division of the Wilcox-Gay Corporation, which operated a factory in Michigan during the 1950s.
Origins and expansion
Established in 1921 as the Grigsby-Grunow-Hinds Company in Chicago by Bertram James Grigsby and William Carl Grunow, the firm initially specialized in automotive aftermarket products such as "Premier" sun visors. By 1927, annual revenues had reached $5 million, including sales of "Majestic" battery eliminators designed by inventor William Lear to substitute cumbersome lead-acid batteries in home radios.
The booming commercial broadcasting sector and emerging national networks of the prosperous 1920s fueled demand for superior audio equipment and stylish console radios suitable for American households. In 1927, Grigsby-Grunow (which had dropped Hinds from its name) began manufacturing "Majestic" radios equipped with dynamic moving-coil speakers and advanced screen-grid tube technology to enhance reception quality. The Majestic Model #71 (1927) was a tuned radio frequency receiver featuring a 9-inch speaker powered by household AC current—a considerable improvement over earlier models that suffered from limited selectivity and used horn speakers.
Majestic radios became known for their refined cabinetry and outstanding loudspeaker performance. The Model #131 floor console introduced in 1930 incorporated an 8-tube circuit delivering high sensitivity and selectivity, coupled with a 12-inch speaker.
The "Roaring Twenties" era
To stimulate radio sales, Grigsby-Grunow sponsored The Majestic Theater of the Air on the CBS radio network beginning in October 1928. By that time, it had become the second-largest radio manufacturer in the United States—trailing only RCA and surpassing Atwater-Kent—producing approximately 4,000 radios daily with distribution across the country. Majestic’s advertising tagline was "The Mighty Monarch of the Air," and by 1930, it controlled about 40 percent of the radio market in both the U.S. and Canada. Retail prices ranged between $126.50 and $235 (equivalent to roughly $1,890–$3,500 in 2020), with installment payment options available through dealers. The Charlotte Observer praised Majestic radios in March 1930 for their excellent reception, sound quality, and tasteful cabinet designs. Notably, navigator Max Pruss of Graf Zeppelin acquired a Majestic set in 1929 following an earlier purchase by captain Hugo Eckener.
At its zenith in 1930, Grigsby-Grunow employed around 11,000 workers at its Chicago manufacturing facility and reported annual sales totaling $61 million. The company’s stock price soared on the Chicago Stock Exchange, climbing from $40 in 1928 to a peak of $1,100 in 1929 after several stock splits. During the Roaring Twenties boom, radio stocks were highly sought after investments. As Thurman Arnold observed in 1965: "Economists argued that when you buy common stocks, you buy the future, not the present," citing firms like Grigsby-Grunow as emblematic of that speculative era.
The Depression years
Following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Grigsby-Grunow's share price dropped sharply to $18. In April 1930, the company established Majestic Household Utilities as a subsidiary focused on manufacturing refrigerators and other household appliances such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines. By October, deliveries of Majestic refrigerators had commenced, supported by a $9 million expansion of their production facility designed to manufacture 600 all-electric refrigerators daily. These units incorporated innovative mechanical features for quieter operation and demonstrated energy efficiency improvements of approximately 30 percent over competing products.
Nevertheless, by mid-1930, Time highlighted issues with unsold Majestic radio stock and diminishing revenues as consumers reduced spending on luxury goods amid the deepening Great Depression. The company encountered patent infringement lawsuits alongside declining sales of its premium console radios. During this downturn, Grunow was removed from his position as president in 1931.
In 1933, Grunow launched General Household Utilities to produce refrigerators and radios under his own name; however, this venture ceased operations by 1939. Concurrently, Majestic introduced the "Smart Set" series of affordable yet elegant table radios in mid-1933, including the model 161—a superheterodyne receiver featuring Art Deco chrome accents and mahogany cabinetry—priced at $47.50.
Despite these initiatives, Grigsby-Grunow filed for bankruptcy in November 1933 and discontinued Majestic radio production by February 1934. After the bankruptcy court rejected the company’s restructuring proposal, liquidation was ordered in June 1934 due to creditor pressures. The court mandated the creation of a Refrigeration Service Department to facilitate ongoing support for Majestic refrigerator and radio parts sales following liquidation.
Majestic Radio & Television years (1936–1949)
In 1936, an investment consortium led by Zenith Radio purchased the assets of the defunct Grigsby-Grunow firm, acquiring the "Majestic Radio" trademarks, existing inventory, manufacturing machinery, and its Chicago plant—assets Zenith required for its expansion plans. This acquisition led to the formation of the Majestic Radio & Television Corporation, which issued stock offerings to raise capital. Davega Stores became a major shareholder with an allocation of 175,000 shares. Early employee Otis Boykin progressed from laboratory assistant to plant foreman during this period.
After filing for bankruptcy on October 24, 1939, Majestic proposed a voluntary reorganization plan that received backing from unsecured creditors such as vacuum tube manufacturers. The company continued robust operations throughout its restructuring phase. During , Majestic contributed to defense production efforts, employing crystallographer George Switzer to ensure aircraft transceivers operated at precise frequencies.
Postwar optimism spurred a $600,000 investment in a new manufacturing facility located in Elgin, Illinois. Majestic’s product range included vibrant tabletop radios and combination radio-phonograph consoles equipped with FM tuners starting in 1947. Additionally, the company founded a subsidiary named Majestic Records in 1945 with studios based in New York City, appointing former mayor Jimmy Walker as president. Despite signing artists such as Bud Freeman and Louis Prima, financial challenges forced Majestic Records to halt pressing operations in 1948; its catalog was subsequently acquired by Mercury Records.
The expected surge in postwar radio demand did not materialize as hoped, and Majestic was unable to bring its planned television line to market successfully. These factors contributed to another bankruptcy filing in February 1948 that included its record division. On May 27, 1949, a federal bankruptcy court ordered liquidation after trustees concluded that reorganization was not viable due to falling radio sales, intense price competition, and unsuccessful ventures into television manufacturing. The Elgin factory along with other assets were sold at auction in November 1949.
Wilcox-Gay final years (1950s–1960s)
In 1950, Leonard Ashbach, proprietor of Garod Radio Corporation, took control of Majestic Radio & Television's remaining holdings along with a majority stake in Wilcox-Gay Corporation. His objective was to manufacture Majestic-branded radios and televisions at Wilcox-Gay’s facility located in Charlotte, Michigan. Established in 1910, Wilcox-Gay was known for producing phonographs, recording devices, and television sets. Among its significant innovations were the 1939 "Recordio," which enabled users to create home 78 rpm records and capture radio broadcasts, and the portable "Recordette" launched in 1948. During the 1940s, the company also manufactured wire recorders but discontinued this line by the early 1950s as reel-to-reel tape technology became dominant.
After receiving shareholder approval in August 1950, Wilcox-Gay commenced production of Majestic radios and televisions, initially introducing eight radio models alongside their TV offerings. In 1954, Ashbach broadened the Majestic product range by bringing in Grundig FM radios from Germany, including AM-FM-shortwave sets that were distributed through Majestic’s dealer network.
Nevertheless, by January 1955, Wilcox-Gay filed for bankruptcy protection and halted its television production due to ongoing losses but continued producing radios. The Michigan manufacturing plant was shut down in December 1958, marking the end of domestic Majestic radio production. Despite this closure, Wilcox-Gay maintained exclusive U.S. distribution rights for Grundig products until 1961. A proposed merger with Davega Stores fell through in September 1961 because of unmet financial conditions. By the end of that year, Wilcox-Gay once again declared bankruptcy and ceased all operations; its assets were subsequently auctioned off in March 1962.
As collectors' items
Majestic radios from Grigsby-Grunow’s peak period in the late 1920s through early 1930s are highly prized by antique radio collectors due to their quality craftsmanship and distinctive design. Particularly notable is the fully restored 1933 Art Deco model 161, which continues to be favored among enthusiasts.