DuMont Westminster Series II 1951

[Dave A]

Do I pull the trigger on this beast for $250? Near me. $100 seems right.

Not the same disappearing Westminster as 1948. Maybe the same cabinet. This one has a turntable and a tape player.

It seems to be the 19" tube. Seller says the cabinet is 7 of 10. He will let me check the CRT this Saturday.

Stop me before I buy again!

[leadlike]

If you can get a hefty discount on that $250, go for it. This thing is just too huge for many folks to be interested. You'll probably be the only person the seller gets a real offer from. I'm interested to know if that cabinet is of the same design as the Westie series one.

[John Folsom]

That is a really unusual set. Not many TV had a tape deck! You should get it, Dave.:-)

[Tubejunke]

If it has a tape deck, someone installed it later. Still, the set, like most Dumonts, looks nice. They never held back on cabinet size; that's for sure. This set looks like an RA-109 with extra cabinet space. As if a Dumont ever lacks in size and weight...

I think that you will be able to negotiate a better price, but the condition of the CRT is the BIGGEST deal. I can remember my father and I wrestling a 109 up three fights of steps to my room when I was a teen. We had an industrial appliance dolly for wheels, but still, this was one monster of a job. Actually, if I knew then what I know now, I would have pulled that 2 ton chassis, and maybe the crt, before trying to climb the steps.....

[John Marinello]

Magnetic tape dates to the late 40s. If this Dumont has an original tape unit, this is going to be one rare bird. Might instead have a wire recorder in it?

[Sandy G]

Jeez, that Bad Boi would be doin' some SERIOUS Talkin' to me if I was closer to it..."Sandy...You WANT me...You KNOW you do...PLEASE take me home...This chump is gonna make me into a Fishtank/wine rack...How could you live w/yrself if THAT was to happen..." Anybody else have that happen to 'em ?!? (grin)

[Dave A]

According to this ad, it does have a tape deck as original;

http://library.duke.edu/digitalcolle...s.TV0088/pg.1/

[kx250rider]

RARE! I'd grab it... Being 1951, it's probably a 19AP4. Nice shape, as per the pics.

Charles

[jr_tech]

The deck itself looks a lot like a Magnecord PT-6, which was widely used in the broadcast industry:

http://www.vidipax.com/museum/msm15.html

But were the electronics DuMont custom?

jr

[jeyurkon]

Originally Posted by Dave A

According to this ad, it does have a tape deck as original;

http://library.duke.edu/digitalcolle...s.TV0088/pg.1/

Apparently it was required to dress up to watch it.

"All three sizes, all three speeds." Didn't they have 16/45/33-1/3/78 in '51?

Jr_Tech: It does say professional quality tape recorder so you're probably right about the unit.

John

[ChuckA]

Dave,

Go and get it already. I can store it down in New Hope with my overflow....


Chuck

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by jeyurkon

"All three sizes, all three speeds." Didn't they have 16/45/33-1/3/78 in '51?
John

I think 16 did not show up on changers until after the development of the "Highway Hi-Fi" in the mid 50s. See Dr Goldmarks account here:

http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/A...Way/invent.htm

jr

[Tubejunke]

Originally Posted by Dave A

According to this ad, it does have a tape deck as original;

http://library.duke.edu/digitalcolle...s.TV0088/pg.1/

I stand corrected. I knew the technology existed, but I never knew that they included it as a bell or whistle in an early TV. Makes perfect sense that Dumont would be the company to market it. I have always thought that it was sad that this once great company ended up going cheap and junky, then fading completely away. They were once truly the best in the business.......

[damen]

I Have one I got back in the early 90's it's a verry high end set it has a decal inside one of the doors that says gurenteed genuine mahogany and that the wood used is from the west indies. It is also verry heavy and solid. I had always wonderd if there were any others left. I get a lot of wow's when people see it since it is such a grand set. If you have room for it get it you won't be disapointed.

[jr_tech]

Nice set!
Thanks for posting the detailed picture... What I took to be reels on a Magnecord PT-6 recorder appear to be a timer clock and a UHF tuner logo...so where is the tape deck?

jr