RT 20 radio by Dieter Rams for Braun, 1960s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

At the age of 29, Dieter Rams designed this table radio for BRAUN in Kronberg. Completely detached from the models of the predecessor, the receiver shows a new design language and operating concept. The buttons are arranged horizontally or vertically according to their function and have different surface designs. Originally designed for long, medium and VHF reception, a phono (record player) could also be connected. The beveled front gives the device additional dynamism, the labels are screen printed and are mostly faulty, but still good here.

with few signs of wear. In the meantime, you rarely see Dieter Rams' RT 20. Our copy has been preserved in its original form and shows a slight patina. The pear tree veneer on the sides and the top panel shimmers warmly under the silk-matt, original clear lacquer. Slight traces of old, superficial signs of wear can be seen on the front. The lettering is original and completely preserved.

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Creator	Dieter Rams
Manufacturer	Braun
Design Period	1960 to 1969
Production Period	Unknown, 1960 to 1969
Country of Manufacture	Germany
Identifying Marks	This piece has an attribution mark
Style	Midcentury, Modernist, Minimalist
Detailed Condition	Good — This vintage/antique item may have some wear such as scratches and other signs of ageing.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use, Patina consistent with age and use
SKU	LOB-864793
Materials	Veneer, Steel, Pearwood
Color	Grey
Width	50 cm 50 cm
Depth	19 cm 19 cm
Height	26 cm 26 cm
Duties Notice	Import duty is not included in the prices you see online. You may have to pay import duties upon receipt of your order.

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Germany
Duties Notice	Import duty is not included in the prices you see online. You may have to pay import duties upon receipt of your order.
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Dieter Rams

Industrial designer Dieter Rams was born in 1932 in Wiesbaden, Germany. During his formative years, he was greatly influenced by his grandfather who was a carpenter, and at the age of sixteen, he started a three-year carpentry apprenticeship. He went on to study interior design and architecture at Wiesbaden School of Art, graduating in 1953. His role models included many pioneers of modernism, like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius, and in the early 1950s, Rams worked on projects for Frankfurt architect Otto Apel and American architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Impressed with his passion for carpentry and architecture, Braun hired Rams as an interiors architect in 1955. His task was to modernize the company’s interiors, but he soon developed an interest in product design. By 1962, Rams was Braun’s Director of Design.

Rams also worked closely with furniture manufacturer Vitsœ (formerly known as Vitsœ+Zapf) to design a collection that included the 606 Universal Shelving System (1960)—the first track-based, wall-mounted storage system with interchangeable units—and the 620 Chair Programme and 621 Table (1962). In 1961, Rams was appointed Vitsœ’s head of design, a position he maintained until 1995.

Rams was a protégé of the Ulm Design School—founded as a successor to the Bauhaus—along with fellow designers Hans Gugelot (1920-65), Fritz Eichler (1887-1971), and Otl Aicher (1922-91). Together they created many industry standards, including the SK4 Radio and Record Player (1956), Atelier 1 Hi-Fi System and L1 Loud Speakers, Audio 1 Series (1962), TG60 Tape Recorder (1963), and L450 Loudspeaker (1963).

Rams describes his minimalist, ecologically minded design aesthetic as “less, but better.” He is celebrated today as one of the most influential designers of the 20th century and noted for his austere, rationalist approach to design, typified by a spare, geometric formal vocabulary. Rams’s list of ten principles for “good design” is still considered relevant today, and it is taught in design schools around the world.

Rams was awarded the Lucky Strike Designer Award in 2007 and the Kölner Klopfer prize (also known as the Cologne Thumper award) in 2010 by the Cologne International School of Design. Many of his designs are featured in museum collections, and his Less and More exhibition—which features his landmark designs for both Braun and Vitsœ—appeared at London’s Design Museum, Frankfurt’s Museum Angewandte Kunst, and San Francisco’s MoMA.

Rams retired from Braun in 1997, but he continues to design for Vitsœ today. He lives in Frankfurt.

* With thanks to Vitsoe for images