The 'Clipper' brand was introduced in NZ in around 1954.
'Clipper' branded equipment was manufactured by Akrad Radio Corporation Ltd,
they were distributed by G. A. Wooller & Co. Ltd.
Currently there are 22 documented models.
Clipper was a brand used on many of the more budget-end receivers and car radios by Akrad.
An article titled "Home Appliances Exhibition at A. and P. Show" in the December 1954 issue of Radio and Electrical Review states, "...the new brand, Clipper, which has gained such popularity in the last few months.". This suggests that Clipper was new in 1954.
Only a couple of models have been seen at the time of writing that pre-date that. Although the Clipper 6P2 was a 1952 model - the sighted model has a speaker dated 1955, suggesting it was probably in production for several years, being manufactured under the Pacific and Regent brands, and a Clipper variant was added to their lineup when the brand came in to being. The other model is the 513 which was marketed around the Queens coronation in 1953 but was also likely manufactured for a few years.
IMAGE | YEAR | MODEL CODE | VALVES | BANDS |
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1953 | Clipper model 513 | 5 | Broadcast | |
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1954 | Clipper model 524 | 5 | Dual Wave |
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1954 | Clipper model 5G4 'Studiogram' | 5 | Broadcast |
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1954 | Clipper model 5M4 'Junior' | 5 | Broadcast |
1954 | Clipper model 6P2 'Countess' | 5 + diode rectifier | Broadcast | |
1954 | Clipper model 7G4 'Gram 7' | 7 | Broadcast | |
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1955 | Clipper model 5W5 | 5 | Broadcast |
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1955 | Clipper model 725 | 6 + magic eye | Dual Wave |
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1955 | Clipper CR55 'Clipper Five' | 5 | Broadcast |
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1955 | Clipper CR8U5 Clipper Eight 'Car Radio' | 8 | Broadcast |
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1955 | Clipper model R24 | 5 + magic eye | 4 |
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1956ish | Clipper model 4P6 'Portable' | 4 | Broadcast |
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1956 | Clipper model 5G6 'Tablegram' | 5 | Dual Wave |
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1956 | Clipper model 601RG | 6 | Broadcast |
1956 | Clipper model 6P6 | 6 (equivalent - uses selenium rectifier) | Broadcast | |
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1956 | Clipper model 966 | 5 + magic eye | Broadcast |
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1957 | Clipper model 5G7 | 5 | Broadcast |
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1957 | Clipper model 616 | 6 | Dual Wave |
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1958 | Clipper model S32 'Majorca' | 6 + magic eye | Dual Wave |
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1959ish | Clipper model 549 'Flamenco' | 5 | 4 |
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1959 | Clipper model 5M9 | 5 | Broadcast |
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1961 | Clipper model 5G1 | 5 | Broadcast |