Estate Sale Finds In 2008!

[drh4683]

Here is the first find for the year at the estate sales on 1-12-08. There were 3 sales this weekend and one turned up another rare find. The sale was at 4109 Lawn Ave, Western Springs, IL. The company "Becker and company" conducted the sale. Ive known them for quite a number of years. First thing they tell me "we were talking about you, theres an old TV downstairs". So I go down and take a look. I noticed an early 50's sonora b+w console in very poor condition and was dissapointed. I figured it was going to be a color set, but you dont know. I passed on that and went up to the bedrooms to see if something else might show up. Sure enough, I walked into the 2nd bedroom and spotted this mint little 14" zenith portable color set from '68 sitting on the floor all by itself. Then I saw the little hanging "zenith" card on the antenna still which Ive never seen. The set was on a dresser that was sold the day before. The photos you see are exactly how the set was found. I used my cell phone for the pictures at the house. I powered it up and it worked fine. (big surprize) Doesnt appear to have ever been tampered with or had the back removed. All it needed was the tri color badge that fell off and was lost. Luckily, I have a few of those from parts sets. The good thing is, there is an indention in the metal door so you can fit the badge exactly were its supposed to be.

As for pricing, it was priced strange at $28.00 but it was half off so I got it for $14.00. I brought it down and mentioned that this is the perfect type of set Im looking for. They didnt know I was interested in portable TV's, nor did they think that set was old enough for my interests. Most people see a set like this and think its only 20 years old. You tell them its a '68 and they look twice.
This set is model Z3508W, it was zeniths very first portable color TV introduced in 1968 and available through 1969. It uses the 15Y6C15 chassis. In 1970, zenith switched to the plastic cabinets for the little 14" sets. I actually have another one of these that I found at the curb by my old home in Downers Grove back in October of '02 that had a shorted filter cap blowing the B+ fuse, thus sending it to the curb al by itself.
Todays find is a much nicer set, just needs a good dusting.