A.W. Dobbie & Co

Brand: Dobbico

Gawler Place, Adelaide SA (1862-)

804 Hay Street, Perth WA (1903-)

A.W. Dobbie & Co was established in 1862 at Gawler place, Adelaide, South Australia. They traded initially in cream separators, sewing machines and in later years, wireless sets, pianos, bicycles and gramophones.  

By the mid 1890’s they opened a branch in Perth, Western Australia.  An advertising leaflet from the mid 1920’s indicates they are selling Dobbico Radios.

Advertisements in “The West Australian” newspaper, September 1930 indicates they are the agents for King and Fada, US radios.

The Radio Trade Annual 1935, page 287, indicates they manufacture the Claritone gramophone.

The Radio Trade Annual 1936, page 287, mentions the Radiophon

Alexander Dobbie was born in Glasgow in 1848 and arrived in Adelaide with his family in 1851. He had trained as a brass founder and, at the age of 19, opened his own business. The Dobbie foundry became well known for the range of goods it produced for farm and household use, including several of Dobbie’s own inventions. Alexander was fascinated by the advances in science and technology of his time and is said to have been the first in the southern hemisphere to design a working telephone, as well as a phonograph and microphone. With such a background, it is small wonder that his firm branched out into the manufacture of wireless sets soon after the First World War