Show us your vintage B&W sets!

[ChuckA]

With over 30 years of collecting "things" I also came to the conclusion a long time ago, that being rare and being valuable do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Just look at a Zenith 1000Z Stratosphere radio, production was about 750 units and it cost $750 in 1935, one sold last year for $42,000 and one just recently for $50,000 and there are 40 of them accounted for. I know of TV's that had production numbers in the low 100's (if that) and only a couple accounted for that wouldn't come close to those prices.

The only TV I know of that has been quoted as having a value in the $40K range is the RCA RR-359.

It still ends up that the value of a "collectible" is only what the buyer and seller agree on.

John, I have to agree with you - love those big projection sets!

If I was near California I'd probably have that TLS86 sitting in my living room.


Chuck

[Chad Hauris]

It seems to me that the things that are collectible are those associated with pop culture and have some decorator value, or things that the 30-50 year old crowd remember as fun from their youth. The projection sets, especially the type you use with a seperate screen would have been industrial or institutional items and not seen so much as a "fun" item.
Just like a 1957 Chevy Bel-air might have a lot of collector value, but a 2 ton truck or school bus from the same year really doesn't and would be a lot cheaper...even if they may be rarer.