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Sparton 558 "Sled"  The Sparton 558 "Sled" released in 1937 was a "Deluxe" replacement for the 557 "Sled" from 1936. It had enhancements in both the appearance and the electronics. The Mirrors were etched in such a way as to give the illusion of having multiple layers of glass. Tuning covers the Broadcast band and 6-18 MHz in two bands. One of the most noticeable differences is the four control knobs which seem rather odd today. On the left is Volume, then Band switch, tuning and the last is On-Off/Tone. Still based on a 5 tube design, this set seems a little more robust than the 557. It was available as the 558-B (Midnight Blue) or 558-C (Old Rose or Peach). It has become one of the most desirable sets among both radio and art collectors for its unique, highly Art-Deco design. This set came to me as "electronically restored" but that apparently meant "I had it fixed" to the previous owner. I found that one filter capacitor had been replaced. It also had an open coil for the shortwave that I had to scavenge from an old 518 chassis. Now completely and properly restored, the set plays beautifully. Cosmetically it is in excellent condition as well. There are two noticeable scratches, one on the top and one on the front to the left of the tuning dial. The mirror has only one small spot where there is a silvering issue. This is a fine example of the model.
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