Info on a 1951 Phillips Cabinet Phonograph - Videokarma.org TV - Video

BostonDave · #1 03-27-2009, 01:25 PM

There's a local ad for a "1951 Phillips Cabinet Phonograph Record Player Stereo" with the following as the extent of the description:

"The brand name is Phillips and it has a sticker that says 1951 on the back."

I haven't had much luck with research on 1951 Phillips Phonographs to see if this is worth the trip to look at.

The price mentioned in case anyone is curious is simply best offer.

Is anyone familiar with Phillips equipment circa 1951 who might have some idea of what this is and perhaps what a reasonable offer would be?

BostonDave · #2 03-27-2009, 02:01 PM

I did come across this on a 1949 manufactured by "Phillips Petroleum Co." which might give some indication of what I'm looking at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PHILLIPS-66-MODE...3286.m20.l1116

electroking · #3 03-27-2009, 05:34 PM

Two remarks:

1 - That 1951 unit is definitely not stereo. If it is stereo, it is more recent than
1951, but it could have a 1951 patent date included on the stickers.

2 - The Phillips brand in Canada and the Phillips 66 Oil Company in the U.S. are
most probably not related at all. At some point, the Phillips and Rogers
brands in Canada were made by the same organization, but I am not sure if
this was the case in 1951.

Hope some other Canadian member can come up with more useful information.
Good luck!

Reece · #4 03-29-2009, 08:56 AM

Philips (with one "L") is the giant Dutch (Netherlands) electronics company still in business. In most of the world their products were marketed under the Philips name. In the USA in the fifties and sixties, maybe a bit later, they were Norelco (North American Philips Electric Company.) Most definitely not a stereo as electroking said if the date on the back of the set is correct. Stereo phonos were 1958 and later. Stereo FM was a few years later. People not in the know just call anything that plays a record a stereo.

Reece

BostonDave · #5 03-31-2009, 10:02 PM

The seller finally got back to me on this one. He said he made a typo and it is indeed a Philips with one 'L'. The model is a "Phillips Radiophonograph 865 A". Still pretty tough to find any info but he sent some pics. Very nice shape and it comes with the original manual. He said it has been in a funeral home since it was new. I can only wonder at what type of music was being played on it over all these years

. Anyway, it might be a nice find for somebody, but I don't think it's my bag. Unless the tube amp is something special, I'm Kind of fixated on 30's and 40's consoles and table tops right now, or something in stereo which I guess would put me into the 60's.

Teradacto58 · #6 03-31-2009, 10:54 PM

Snap it up!!

Teradacto58 · #7 03-31-2009, 11:18 PM

I have had a couple Mono & Stereo Philips Tube Consuls...I sold most for their tube amps,and also parted out the speakers. The speakers have always sold well, especially the Alnico ones! Lots of people like the amps to use the parts, for their own amp projects. They like the euro tubes + output transformers. If you can get the consul for a descent price ...go for it! ...Jim

BostonDave · #8 04-02-2009, 01:44 PM

$50, so I'm picking it up on Sunday.

Here are some pics. It looks like it's in pretty good condition - chassis nice and clean and the cabinet is great shape. I may not have the heart to part it out. At least the cabinet will probably live on as a piece of furniture somewhere.

toxcrusadr · #9 04-02-2009, 01:48 PM

Curious who made the TT. Any markings on it that you can see?

Reece · #10 04-03-2009, 05:35 AM

That thing looks to be in excellent shape. I wouldn't want to part it out. Has BC plus two short wave bands. Somebody somewhere wants this!

Reece

BostonDave · #11 04-05-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toxcrusadr

Curious who made the TT. Any markings on it that you can see?

The TT has an aluminum label affixed to the underside which says 'Canadian Radio Manuf. Corp. Ltd.'.

toxcrusadr · #12 04-05-2009, 10:58 PM

Thanks...haven't heard of that maker before. Interesting.

ke4jhj · #13 04-06-2009, 07:05 AM

The cabinet is absolutely beautiful. You have a candidate for restoration. I would recap the tuner/amp, restore the turntable.

In my opinion, to part it out, or even think of it, would be downright criminal.

BostonDave · #14 04-06-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ke4jhj

The cabinet is absolutely beautiful. You have a candidate for restoration. I would recap the tuner/amp, restore the turntable.

In my opinion, to part it out, or even think of it, would be downright criminal.

From the initial photos I thought so as well. After getting it home however it's not in as great shape as those led me to believe. The TT seems to have some parts missing. The 6X4 rectifier is broken (the stump was found in the cabinet) and there was another tube which was found removed with bent pins that may need replacing as well. A lot of the caps are showing signs of deterioration and it looks as if someone performed some sloppy mods/repair on some of the wiring. I'm going to order the tubes and the caps as they aren't particularly expensive, and see what I can do about getting the receiver working again. I don't know if the TT will be worth pursuing however. It came from a funeral home and looks like it has some playing time on it.

I've got a couple of others in line for restoration before it, but I'll pick away it it over the next few months and see how it goes.

It stays as a unit for now at least.