Alfred H. Grebe was one of the young, early wireless enthusiasts who helped install and operate equipment on merchant ships back in 1912 when he was only 17. See related stories on this web site, Radio Age, Part 1, and Grebe’s colorful global shipboard diary as a wireless operator on the the British Tramp Tanker S/S Saranac, Places Visited.

Here is a photograph from that time, scanned and enhanced to improve the contrast of the faded photo print.

Close up, image enhancement.

QST Magazine cover, April 1920

More classic Grebe Radio ads from our friend, Wddrvkii.

A few more fine scans from the 1920’s courtesy of WDDRvkii.

Doctor Mu provides his wisdom from famous Chinese philophers and served as a prominent marketing image in the Grebe Radio advertisements of the 1920’s.

A friend of greberadio.com contributed this picture of the new Grebe Radio factory from Radio News, September, 1922. Notice the Grebe Radio delivery truck off to the right.

On August 12, 2004 an honorary plaque was placed on the factory building by the Richmond Hill Historical Society. The building is now used as part of the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

Present for the dedication were Nancy Cataldi, President of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, Alfred H. Grebe’s son, Alfred H. Grebe, Jr. (second from left), and grandson, George D. Meier (third from left), and Bruce J. Flanz Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center standing in front of the new plaque mounted on the old Grebe Radio factory building.

The text of the commemorative plaque reads:

GREBE RADIO FACTORY

AND

BROADCASTING STATION

ERECTED IN 1922 BY ALFRED H. GREBE (1895-1935)

RADIO DESIGNER, MANUFACTURER AND BROADCASTING PIONEER

GREBE RADIOS MANUFACTURED HERE WERE DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE. WAHG AND WBOQ BROADCASTING STATIONS OPERATED HERE IN 1924. ON NOVEMBER 1, 1926, WAHG BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST COMMERCIAL STATIONS UNDER THE NAME WABC WITH ALFRED GREBE AS FOUNDER OF THE ATLANTIC BROADCASTING COMPANY. IN 1928 IT BECAME THE FLAGSHIP STATION OF THE COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM – CBS.

“HE LOOKED TO THE FUTURE WHEN FASCINATED BY WHAT WAS CALLED RADIO AND DEVOTED HIS LIFE TO IT”

CBS MEMORIAL TRIBUTE – 1935

THE RICHMOND HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

One of our readers has scanned these classic Grebe Radio ads and generously shared them for us to enjoy. These are for the Grebe CR-5 Receiver.