A.C.E. Radio.
136 Victoria Road, Marrickville, Sydney, NSW

A.C.E. Radio started life as Excelair Radio selling radios, amplifiers, surplus military and commercial equipment and parts. In 1950 A.C.E. Radio began supplying radio kits for the enthusiast or a range of complete chassis built and tested as well as surplus equipment.

Excelair Radio commenced in 1931 by Harry J Carter as a small radio factory in a cottage at 204 Marrickville Road, Marrickville selling an all-electric screen grid radio, phono combination.[1]

The company manufactured radios and amplifiers and in July 1934 won the Wireless Weekly Amplifier Championship Cup.[2] They supplied and installed amplifiers at events in the Western Districts of NSW requiring Public Address systems.[3]

Post war, they along with many others began selling surplus military and commercial equipment and parts.[4]

In 1950 the name was changed to A.C.E. Radio which stood for Amplification, Communication and Electronics. The new company began to supply its own brand of equipment that included instrument and public address amplifiers and speakers. In 1970 Joe Ellison took over the business which kept it in the family as he was Harry Carters son in law. Later Ellison would sell the business Paul Follagar and he moved it to Manly where it was rumoured he donated all the best surplus gear to schools and the rest to the tip and information on A.C.E is lost.[5]

[1] The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)   May 20, 1931, Page 1.
[2] Wireless Weekly Jul 13, 1934, Page 66.
[3] Dungog Chronicle (NSW) Feb 21, 1939, Page 2.
[4] Radio & Hobbies, Oct 1947, Page 29.
[5] Electronics Australia, June 1995, Neville Williams, "When I Think Back".