Arthur Pidgeon and Co.
35 James Street, Perth WA (1930 -1932)
814 Hay Street, Perth WA (1932 -1936)
794 Hay Street, Perth WA (1936 -1937)
Harper Building, 818 Hay Street, Perth WA (1937 – 1962)
80 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge, WA (1962 - 1964)

Brand: Bronzewing

Arthur Pidgeon manufactured and marketed radios by the brand name Bronzewing from 1933 till 1946. He manufactured theatre amplifiers for the XL-Tone Sound System Equipment Co. Ltd., in 1932.

His logo was an electron tube with wings.

He was the factory representative for Kriesler in WA and sold other Australian manufacturers radios until his retirement in 1964.

In 1930, Arthur Phillips Pidgeon (1902-2002), a motorcycle mechanic and wireless amateur decided to open a business to help people who were having trouble building their own radio sets. He set up business in a bicycle builder’s back room at 35 James Street Perth.[1] He traded as Pidgeon’s Radio Exchange and in May 1931 he started using the logo "Bird for Wireless" in his adverts.[2] The logo was a tube with wings.

In September 1931 he offered training classes every Thursday evening to help radio enthusiasts build their own sets using his test equipment and components supplied by his company.[3]

As business increased, he moved to 814 Hay Street Perth in April 1932, advertising a 4 valve Eclipse Univox console.[4]

In December 1933 he advertised a 4-valve Superheterodyne as the countryman’s ideal receiver with the “Bronzewing” brand name.[5] More Bronzewing radios followed with the 5 valve Universal in March and the Bronzewing 3 valve AC Midget in April 1934. [5][6][7]

He became the WA factory representative for Kriesler radios in December 1934.[8]

In September 1938 he went into a partnership with Henry W Denford, who had started Vox-Adeon Radios in 1933 and they changed the logo to “Birds for Wireless”, adding an extra tube with wings to the logo and the company name to Pidgeon & Denford.[9]

It changed again in January 1946 to Arthur Pidgeon & Company and the logo back to "Bird for Wireless" after Denford left the company.[10] Adverts for Bronzewing radios appeared up until August 1946.[11]

In the 1950’s he added rural farm 5 KVA power plants to his inventory.[12]

During the late 1950’s he advertised phonograph records for sale with the slogan “Pidgeon’s for Platters” from the shop at 818 Hay Street.

Pidgeon continued to repair and sell Australian made radios and act as the Kriesler factory distributor in Western Australia until his retirement at the age of 62 in August 1964 [13]

[1] The West Australian (WA) Dec 13, 1930, Page 8.
[2] The West Australian (WA) May 20, 1931, Page 16.
[3] New Call (WA) Sep 17, 1931, Page 19.
[4] New Call (WA) Apr 14, 1932, Page 6.
[5] The West Australian (WA) Dec 28, 1933, Page 9.
[6] The West Australian (WA) Mar 2, 1934, Page 3.
[7] The West Australian (WA) Apr 12, 1934, Page 19.
[8] The West Australian (WA) Dec 1, 1934, Page 11.
[9] The Daily News (WA) Sep 13, 1938, Page 3.
[10] The West Australian (WA) Jan 19, 1946, Page 4.
[11] The West Australian (WA) Aug 16, 1946, Page 3.
[12] The Sunday Times (WA) Feb 27, 1955, Page 41.
[13] Information from the Pidgeon family.