Early Color Tube On eBay - Videokarma.org TV - Video

maxm · #1 01-27-2005, 10:23 PM

Sure looks rare, wonder if it is still good?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...961&indexURL=4

***Eric H*** · #2 01-27-2005, 10:35 PM

Interesting, that makes at least two of these.
There is one with a different serial number posted here:
http://home.att.net/~pldexnis/input/news.html

scroll down a little over half way to find it.

reeferman · #3 01-27-2005, 11:22 PM

The Early Television Foundation has one. Don't know if it is number 3, or was donated/loaned by Dave A. If anybody is interrested, I have a photo from the ETF convention showing a 15GP22, 19VP22, 22EP22, and C-73293-C in one corner of one room. Truely a color crt shrine. Photo to big to upload. Send me a private message, and I'll forward it to you.

kc8adu · #4 01-28-2005, 12:19 AM

if the wire thing at the lower right of the label is a getter as it appears it is this one has gone to air

Dave A · #5 01-28-2005, 09:21 AM

I still have my tube at home. I think Steve got his at an auction about a year ago.

Mine is long gone to air, but is fascinating to look at. You can actually see inside the glass front and look around the side of the phosphor plate and see the mountings and down in to the bell. I believe there were two versions of this tube and then RCA came up with the experimental version of the 15GP22 that is found in some 15" production sets.

This tube has a series of eccentric bolts around the phosphor plate to move it into alignment with the shadow mask. The grid cups are clearly hand-welded by small elves. Lot's of info in the RCA red book submission to the FCC on color tv.

Dave A

Steve McVoy · #6 01-28-2005, 03:58 PM

As Dave said, I got ours at an auction last year. It was in a box and labeled as a 15GP22 dud. Paid $15 I think.

There are 4 of these tubes that I know of.

***Eric H*** · #7 01-28-2005, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve McVoy

As Dave said, I got ours at an auction last year. It was in a box and labeled as a 15GP22 dud. Paid $15 I think.

There are 4 of these tubes that I know of.

Any info on how many were made?

Dave A · #8 01-28-2005, 08:41 PM

The RCA redbook submission to the FCC says that RCA made tubes available to other manufacturers for experimentation starting in mid-1951. By March, 1953, 477 tubes had been sent to 177 companies, possibly including the experimental version of the 15GP22 which was around by that time. That is not clear from the text.

RCA also indicates that by June, 1953, 7000 tubes had been made at Lancaster of various designs beginning in October, 1951. But they also indicate that they only had about 400 on-hand. The others were removed from stock and parts salvaged. Sounds like the Philco Apple failure rate.

There is also mention of a 21" tube in July, 1951, but it only had a useable round picture of 15 3/8" wide. Just a larger version of the flat-plate 16" tube that started this thread. The CBS-Hytron 21" curved front was yet to come.

Dave A

Dave A · #9 02-03-2005, 07:48 PM

$3,686.36 was the winner for a dead tube. I don't want to think about the next auction of a good 15GP22.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...149998961&rd=1

Dave A

rca2000 · #10 02-03-2005, 09:30 PM

10 MIB 15gp22's, that tested as new. Probably would be worth enough to buy a new 'vette, with CASH.

polaraman · #11 02-03-2005, 11:31 PM

Is anybody going to contact the buyer? It would be interesting to find out the motive for getting that CRT. Maybe they have the set that the CRT goes in. I read some of his feedback. Mostly bought stuff involving antique farm equipment. Might be another collector we may need to invite to the forum. Maybe somebody with the like CRT could break the ice for us.

polaraman

Dave A · #12 02-04-2005, 09:42 AM

I got a note from the seller saying he bought the estate of a retired engineer and the tube was there. He did his research at the library.

Dave A

Steve McVoy · #13 02-10-2005, 07:03 PM

I got a reply from the buyer. He bought the tube and book on behalf of the Indiana
State Museum. They have collected Indiana-made consumer electronics for some
time and have recently begun to be particularly interested in the story of color television because of the prime role RCA's Indiana plants played in the introduction of the CT-100 and on.

polaraman · #14 02-10-2005, 09:56 PM

I need a rich benefactor like that. A person to fund my hobby for the benefit of polaraman.

At least it is going to a place that many people can see it and be educated. Maybe it will help to bring more people to the hobby. It would be interesting to see what they have in their collection.

polaraman

#15 02-11-2005, 05:44 AM

Indiana has/had a very interesting manufacturing history in general........well over 1000 makes of cars in Hoosierland. Yes, some of those were one offs, but they represented a marque and are legitimately counted. Many were Cycle Cars (AKA Whizzers) and were gossamer-like in construction (motorcycle wheels, canvas bodies, leather belt drive etc).

And then there was a little concern run by the Studebaker Brothers. :-)

Anthony