What is the Cut Off on "Desireable DuMonts?"
 

I say it ends with the RA-105/108 based chassis. Some may extend it to the RA-111/112/113 but, I'm not too fond of those Telesets. They look like the bean counters were just starting to make their presence felt.

The RA-119 is, of course, desireable.

What do You All think?

LJB:smoke:

I wouldn't pass up any set that still uses the round metal picture tubes. I become less interested when they go to the rectangular tubes (although I wouldn't pass up one of those if it were in nice condition either). I have an RA-112, and while I don't think it's as nice looking as some of the earlier models, you still get cool stuff like the inductuner with FM. I haven't gotten around to restoring it yet (I keep putting it off because the cabinet needs refinishing), but the 19AP4 is good.

I just checked out an RA-112, a "Mt Vernon", I believe. It's complete, but, the plastic cap on the tail of the CRT is snapped off, leaving a few wires and wire nubs exposed. I think the CRT still has vacuum, but, there's a Brightener attached, so it's probably marginal, at best. That's assuming I could resoldier the leads, etc.

One thing I just don't understand about many early TV's, and that is their exposed CRT Tails, just waiting to be bumped off. What's the big deal of extending the Cabinet Depth a couple of inches? It's not like you could push the TV Set closer against the wall, either with the Bump on a Rear Screen, or a Full Depth Cabinet.

Anyhoo, I like the RA-105/108's, with their Round Inductuner Dials, and nice Brass Bezels. The Chassis Construction, with the separate HV Chassis, I like as well. Looks more substantial than the later stuff. Whether it was more reliable or better performing, I don't know.

LJB:smoke:

It was a styling marketing thing. TV makers felt that consumers wanted a TV with a not deep cabinet, and also the CRT back panel cup would enforce the gap between the set and a wall necessary for proper ventilation.

I would think ANY DuMont would be potentially worthy of being "collected"...After all, the NEWEST one is nigh on to 55 years old now, right ?

Well, I dunno. Just because it's old doesn't make it collectable.

... and, I hear the later DuMonts were pretty cheap.

LJB:smoke:

OK, I'll buy that.

But, a lot of those Back Screens were pretty cheezey. I would have made them a bit more substatial.

Actually, the stamped metal screen on my RA-105B is probably strong enough.

LJB:smoke:

I remember seeing a DuMont set as a prize on "The Price Is Right" in the early 1970's.

I can't rule out the possibility that it may have been a badge-engineered product.

Rob

The DuMont TV line got sold to Emerson about 1957; they had already been cost- cutting quite a bit prior to that. DuMont soon became a badge-engineered Emerson; in 1970 the company got out of TV manufacturing and for awhile they were built by Admiral. I think the name has shown up somewhere on some BPC sets.

Yup. I know about the Cost Cutting phenomenom.

...so, the origional question remains:

"What is the Cut Off Date/Model in DuMont Desirability?"

LJB:smoke:

Sometime around the mid 1980's I remember seeing Dumont sets being sold in either an Eagles, or a Roses department store. I remember being surprised and almost bought one as a novelty. Somewhere I read on the net that the name, like that of almost any of the great American electronics names of the past was purchased by Japanese corporations.:uzi: These companies make cheap garbage specifically targeted through the use of the traditional and familiar name to suck(er) in the American consumer.:finger:

As far as I know to this day if you were to find say a Zenith, or Emerson, you can bet your next paycheck that it is made in good ol' Japan, by a Jap company, with rights to the name.

We can't even produce our own combat boots anymore.:thumbsdn: Such a shame! I need to go on that thought before this becomes a REAL off topic rant...:no:

pre sale to Emerson DuMont tv's are probably, just maybe, more desirable.

I know that I would like to stumble upon one, even though the monetary value is not great....

Regarding rebadging and capitalizing on the "name" of a product... the same happened with wristwatches long ago... as soon as patents expired the Asian watchmakers snagged great American names of the past, placed them on poor to mediocre cases, inserted cheap $2.50 quartz movements in them and sell them by the thousands, for ~ $100 apiece at wallyworlds etc

Ra112
 

Is this the RA112 thats free in GROTON MASS.?

Yup.

LJB:smoke:

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