Interesting-Does anyone know anything about these?

[kbmuri]

It just misses warranting a 3-hour drive and Chicago traffic, or I'd save it myself.

It had a 16RP4 originally. A few other 16-inch tubes will interchange. I saw a few parts sets on the 2-dollar wall at the ETF this year that would donate a picture tube, and probably donate the yoke too (it's pretty generic). No reason the thing couldn't be saved. Rotten condition normally doesn't intimidate anyone here.

This TV was in production before the sale of Capehart to ITT. Dr. Farnsworth was still in charge, but not for much longer. He was more interested in radar and cold fusion by then. So you could successfully argue this TV set is a "genuine Farnsworth". The chassis is all Farnsworth designed. They just used the Capehart name because it marketed better. Capehart was known for luxury items in the 40's and had a strong customer base.

I restored one of these 5 or 7 years ago.





Mine was cleaner to start with. To my knowledge it was the only other one ever on eBay. There was another guy on this forum who claimed to have one too. First name was Ralph, but I forget his "handle". Those are the only other 325's I've ever seen or heard of. They're not common at all.

Is it "really special"? I don't know. I'd be shocked if there are 20 survivors, it has Farnsworth heritage, it's only 25 bucks, and it's a great performer when restored (particularly the audio). Those are plusses. Minuses are it's poor starting condition and it's not a roundie.

If it's too far gone, you've wasted 25 bucks that you can probably recover in the used tubes, power transformer, and speaker.

The best plus is that it "haunted" you. Enough to post about it, so it must appeal to you on some level. Go get it, restore it and you'll have something you'll keep forever and be proud of.

I don't know how to put a value on that. Eric H is probably right, something "better" will come along. If "Better" is a Motorola or RCA that everyone and their mother has. If you restore the Capehart, you'll have the only one on the block.

If that's what you mean by "really special"...

[jr_tech]

Very nice restoration, I'm drooling over that one!

"it's not a roundie"

At least in this neck-o-the-woods, sets with these first generation rectangular CRTs are far less common than roundies from about the same era. For example, I have collected 8 - 10" round sets, 6 - 12" round sets and a couple of 16" roundies. I have no sets that use the early flat-sided / square cornered CRTs.
I think that many collectors tend to overlook the differences between these uncommon early rectangular CRTs, and the later curved-sided ones that are very common.

just my 2 cents worth,
jr