"owner may have been a smoker...?"

[holmesuser01]

I aquired a 1951 RCA 17" set that came from a bar. It's coated and dark brown. I cleaned the tar off the CRT, tubes, and replaced the electrolytics. When I turned it on, within 30 minutes, it was reeking smoke.

But, it did work. Maybe the tar sealed out the moisture?

I sold it. The buyer still has it.