Early rectangular Zenith
 

Looks kinda like a porthole cabinet and chassis with a rectangular CRT :scratch2:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ZENITH-1950s-VIN...-/110580207287

(no affiliation)

" I ONLY LEFT ON FOR ABOUT 20 MIN" :nono:

"I HEARD THEY MAKE GREAT FISHTANKS" :nono::nono:

"THOUGHT SOMEONE MIGHT WANT TO RESTORE IT" :thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp

That's an original rectangular. But, OH, is it ugly!
Bill Cahill

I've seen worse... They should have used a bigger CRT for a cabinet that size.

The last roundie was still in the building when that puppy was made...

According to the "75 years of TV/ TV history site", 1951 appears to be the transition year for Zenith... they made roundies in 12", 16" and 19" and early rectangulars in 17" (perhaps it was a 16"?) and 20". To my eye, this set looks earlier. :scratch2:
By 1952 they appear to have switched over to the "standard" 17" and 21" sizes that dominated the mid 50s, and their sets looked pretty much like everybody else's.

http://www.tvhistory.tv/1950-59-ZENITH.htm

I have not seen a '51 or earlier Zenith rectangular before.

OT: Einar72... Is that an Abyssinian cat?

jr

It looks sorta like the right side of this set, but the set in the ad is better proportioned. The screen fills the cabinet better.

I flipped through a Wallace Telaide that lists the first rectangular chassis as from 1951 using a 16TP4 CRT.

I have a 16" rect. table model Zenith with a pop up speaker on top.
Rounded corners.
Haven't bothered to restore it yet. What year is that?
Bill Cahill

But I KNOW you would not throw away an RCA CT-100 ;)

I like it, it's kinda unique looking. I would definitely save it if it were in range.

Ditto. 8 hours round trip for me :sigh:

Mama-cat is a Bengal. She behaves very differently from all the shelter-rescues and other "purebred" cats I've had since I was a kid. Very good dealing with vermin. I s'pose I should post my current pair, but her ear seems just right for AK. She stayed with my ex's half of things when we split.

Very nice! a first generation rectangular CRT... I still believe that these are far less common then, say 12" roundies, but are for the most part, overlooked by collectors.

Wow! I have not seen this breed before! Very exotic! :thmbsp:
jr

I agree :) Specifically, it's a 23H22 chassis. They went with a 17BP4 for subsequent chassis.

So is anyone gonna rescue this Zenith? It's growing on me, but I live near Tacoma! Maybe the AK Pony Express could be copied over here! BTW, this is the second Zenith of that age back in Indiana I can't have! ShopGoodwill.com had a 12H console listed and I almost bid until I saw where it was!!!

Nerts! Maybe I should dig up Frank Burns, he was from Fort Wayne...