Vintage televisions and radios available from an estate - Videokarma.org TV - Video

frankfrank · #1 03-13-2015, 06:10 AM

My first post here.

I am helping one of the local banks, here in western Illinois, to liquidate an estate. In this case, it's an estate of a radio and TV "DX" hobbyist and Ham, who collected unusual/old TV's and other related stuff. I told the bank that I would inquire somewhere and find out if anybody thought this old equipment would have any value or not. I will also forward all replies to the guy at the bank who is working on liquidating the estate.

This is the equipment that I thought should be listed. Model numbers given when known - a couple units had no such number visible anywhere. The TV sets are all well earlier than 1960; the Philco may be "close to 1960" but I'm not sure of the vintage of any of these. This old equipment is NOT "mint" by any means, and I assume, in most cases, they may no longer work, but I've rarely seen any of these anywhere else except in museums, or in movies (as props for "retro" type films).

I have approximated the screen sizes on the television sets. "TVG" screen will mean any screen that is shaped (FRAMED) "similar to" the TV Guide logo, generally a rectangular screen with rounded-edges framing.

Presumably the best option would be for somebody to be interested in enough of the items to warrant a trip to western Illinois to pick them up, or in a small number of destinations I may be able to deliver them beyond an ordinary distance. I don't think that bank really wants to get all that involved in shipping.

Anyway, any idea of what I should communicate to the bank will be appreciated, and in fact they will see any replies, as I told them that's what I would do.

TELEVISION SETS:
General Electric (no model number visible) 9-inch TVG screen
Pilot TV 37 U 2-inch screen, portable TV
philco H2010 (or HZ010? Can't read my notes) PORTABLE, has concave
mirror in back, behind the screen. Worked via projection? Mirror
maybe 8 inches.
National (no model number known) 6 inch TVG type screen
Motorola 71M-A 7 inch? screen. The screen or its covering is weirdly
melted!
Hallicrafters Model 505 *with instruction manual* 6 inch TVG screen
Andrew Radio "sharp focus" Television (+radio)
model # unknown screen is about 11 inches, TVG style
Zenith model # unknown round screen about 11 inches
RCA Victor 630TS 11 inch TVG type screen
Philco model # unknown 10 inch TVG type screen

OLD RADIOS:
Hallicrafters SX-100 includes Hallicr. speaker
Philco model 116121 "tombstone style" radio
Zenith Wave-Magnet (portable, in brown case)
Zenith 7G605 "Short Wave Portable Radio" fold-down front panel shows
a small world map, and a bandscan of American Shortwave stations.
Possibly helping to DATE this: WCBX, WBOS, WNBI, WRUW, WCAB,
are among the stations listed. No Voice of America listed.
Coronado model 636, bakelite casing

OTHER EQUIPMENT:
Dewald UHF CONVERTER model G-300, brown case
Electro Voice UHF converter, model #3300
Super Sonic Television Amplifier, no model number, brown Bakelite
Kodak SLIDE PROJECTOR (complete, manual, carrying case, etc.)
"Extragraphic III AMT"

Any idea of any value on any of these would be appreciated, as these may be seeking a home.

init4fun · #2 03-13-2015, 06:37 AM

Most of the TVs will have some collector value , for instance the Pilot TV will go for $200 to $400 depending on condition and completeness (knobs , no broken "slats" in the front , etc.)

The radios will go at lower prices than the more desirable TVs .

The UHF converters are scrap , can't sell em for much over $10 , and that is to folks who will reuse the enclosure itself to build their own electronic project into .

The TV you have listed as "Andrew" is far more likely to be "Andrea" , which was a big name manufacturer long ago .

Now , as to fair pricing , one of your best resources will be to check out COMPLETED ebay sales for what similar units have SOLD for in the past . You may notice my use of capital letters , this is no mistake on my part and is to emphasize the fact that only completed sales are to be used as a rough estimate of value . There are many knuckleheads out there that list common as dirt 1950s TVs for thousands of dollars cause "It's old , it's gotta be worth a FORTUNE !!!!" only to have the listing languish for ever with nothing but the sounds of sad laughter from the folks who know it isn't worth 1/100th of their asking price .

PS , scanning your list , I don't see any real "Holy Grail" sets (Like an RCA TRK-5 which is presently at around $10K or better value) but there WILL be folks interested if your pricing is fair . I wish you the best of luck getting this stuff to the collectors who will be interested in it .

WISCOJIM · #3 03-13-2015, 09:24 AM

Frank, there are a lot of "in demand" TV models listed there, but the condition of each is the key to what they are worth. Think of it as an old car. Is it a rusted out beater with no life left, or is it a well-maintained original that has never seen snow or rain? The same applies to old radios and TVs. Some have no value except as a possible parts donor, or they could be mint condition originals or quality restorations. I don't think anyone could give you a good estimate without detailed pictures or by seeing them in person. As init4fun mentioned, a set like the Pilot TV can range all over the place. A parts set with a bad picture tube and messed up cabinet would not be worth much at all. But clean and complete with a good picture tube could be near the high-end of his estimate. And at least one of those radios is very popular also. The Philco 116 tombstone is an excellent performer, and one of the largest radios of that style ever made. Again, condition is very important. A beat up set could be worth less than a hundred dollars, an excellent set could go for several hundred.

And very often the location of the items will effect the value. Anyone that has to travel any distance to get them would have to figure their time and expenses as additional costs of purchasing. I've seen a lot of very good radios sell in Nebraska estate auctions for $25-50 that would each bring in $200-400 if in a Chicago area radio collectors auction. So your location of "Western Illinois" may be in an area with very few collectors, and those items you listed do not ship either easily or cheaply.

I'd suggest you start by posting good pictures of the key items and put them here, on the antique radio forum (www.antiqueradios.com), and also send them to the Public Relations Director over at the Antique Radio Club of Illinois (Art Bilski: [email protected] ). Art can email the club membership to hopefully find some interested local buyers when you are ready to sell.

Good luck, and keep coming back with questions and for more information. We are glad to help do what we can to make sure these items survive!

.

earlyfilm · #4 03-13-2015, 10:36 AM

Use this site to visually match the found sets, to get an approximate date on them. Usually older is better.

http://www.tvhistory.tv/

Whatever you do, do not plug any of them in. The risk of damage is too great.

Rather than use "TVG" suggest that you use "rectangular." For the other sets, "double-D" and "round." (The 3 inch Pilot is a double-D.)

TELEVISION SETS:
General Electric (no model number visible) 9-inch TVG screen
Value of this probable 10 inch depends on condition, age and model.

Pilot TV 37 U 3-inch Double D screen, portable TV
National (no model number known) 7 inch rectangular type screen
Motorola 71M-A 7 inch? screen. The screen or its covering is weirdly
melted! <--(Don't worry about the melt in this model)
Hallicrafters Model 505 *with instruction manual* 7 inch rectangular screen
These will bring between $50 and $400 depending on condition and completeness and cuteness, with the National and Motorola (if a full suitcase model) getting the top $, and any set that has channel one.

Andrew Radio "sharp focus" Television
The Andera from $50 to $300 depending on condition and model, if exceptionally rare model maybe even higher.

Zenith model # unknown round screen about 11 inches
Round screens sell well. $50-$300

RCA Victor 630TS 10 inch TVG type screen
$50 to $250 depending on condition. A serial number under C-1000 may bring more.

Another value factor on odd-ball TV's is the presence of all the knobs. I have one rather rare TV that is missing one knob. I'm expecting that knob to cost more than the rest of the set cost me.

OTHER EQUIPMENT:
Dewald UHF CONVERTER model G-300, brown case
Electro Voice UHF converter, model #3300
Super Sonic Television Amplifier, no model number, brown Bakelite
On these, cuteness, condition and oddness are the determining factors.
$0 to $60.

Kodak SLIDE PROJECTOR (complete, manual, carrying case, etc.)
"Extragraphic III AMT"
New old stock projection lamps will often bring more than a complete projector with a burned-out lamp.
New old stock lamp = $30 to $40 depending on type of lamp.

James

dtvmcdonald · #5 03-13-2015, 10:44 AM

Pictures are very desirable, and the exact location really does matter,
especially to me (I'm in Champaign). RCA 630 TSs can have relatively
high dollar value if nice as can SOME Andreas.

decojoe67 · #6 03-14-2015, 09:45 AM

I agree that's it's all about condition and completeness. As far as my slant on it, the TV's are the best items. They seem to be mostly early post-war which are quite desirable to collectors. The stand-outs for me is the National, which actually is a 7" model. If in good shape could be worth several hundred dollars due to it's rarity. The Pilot 3" is very common, but continues to be VERY desirable, especially if the original CRT checks good, has all it's "ships-wheel" knobs, and the cabinet has no serious damage. Again several hundred dollars. The rest are all very nice models of moderate value unless in extraordinarily excellent original condition.

frankfrank · #7 03-16-2015, 10:40 PM

Thank you so much, guys, for your input. I'm meeting the guy-from-the-bank over there Tuesday afternoon, and we will be taking pictures. I'll have him email me the pictures and I'll post them here, hopefully I don't have any formatting trouble, etc. doing this. (I've been using computers for over 11 years but I still only know "what I have to know" and there are some chasms in my knowledge.)

All of the caveats and such that you've mentioned on here, make good sense. I know how important condition can be, as well as not having missing pieces, etc. It appears the converters may be "incidental" add-ons if somebody happens to come here and buy...to be more specific, these items are located in Macomb, Illinois. You have given me some pointers on what to look for on some of these, and thank you earlyfilm for the short primer on screen types...I'd heard "rectangular" before but never Double-D, and I can now be more speficic on that.

And init4fun, I agree about ebay strategy...COMPLETED Listings are the only ones that are relevant. That's not to mention that Completed gives a somewhat more thorough search, because current items are generally listed for one week only. But somebody can ask what they want, but until it actually sells, it's not "worth" that - not even once - at least in that marketplace AT THAT MOMENT. I buy and sell old records, and there are a couple of sites that have built huge databases on prevailing values of rare records, based entirely on COMPLETED listings, which is the only way to do it.

I have suggested to the bank guy that he may want to consider joining this site, because he will better know what types of arrangements, etc. are most appropriate for them. Time is always at a premium, but I'm suggesting this to him because my own schedule is actually in the middle of an extreme crash-and-burn situation, and I am getting ready for an extended vacation. In the near future I can only devote a limited finite time to this.

decojoe67, as far as checking the CRT's on the Pilot and others, there's a way other than actually plugging the TV's in? I'll mention that they shouldn't be plugged in.

Thank you again guys, he will be aware of all of this.

Electronic M · #8 03-17-2015, 12:21 AM

There are CRT testers that will test those tubes, but electrostatic deflection tubes such as the one in the Pilot, and some early 7-8" sets were not supported by most testers. The Sencor CR-70 and CR-7000 (IIRC) can test those tubes, and some rare early testers can test those tubes, but little else.
The best test of electrostatic deflection CRTs is a working set, but unless you know for a fact the sets have been electrically restored, you have a 45% chance of damaging the set and learning nothing about the condition of the CRT, a 50% chance of the set not being damaged yet not working and not allowing you to learn if the CRT is good, and a 5% chance of the set and tube actually working.

The sets with magnetic deflection tubes are easy to find testers for. If there is an older TV repair shop in the area, then they may still have a tester capable of testing the early magnetic deflection CRTs, and may be willing to do so for you.

Sandy G · #9 03-17-2015, 08:50 AM

Of any of the CRTs-Picture Tubes- has an area in the middle of the screen that it looks like all the phosphorous has been wiped off, its JUNK. That means the tube has lost its vacuum, & is sorta like the Dead Parrot in the old Monty Python days-THAT Parrot wouldn't "Voom" if you ran a jillion volts thru it. It is a DEAD Parrot.

rcafan · #10 03-17-2015, 01:08 PM

Where in western Ill. I am very interested in the rica 630, need the
Chassis and someone I am sure needs the cabinet,
Thanks Neil. nbd at Juno dot com

WISCOJIM · #11 03-17-2015, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcafan

Where in western Ill.

"to be more specific, these items are located in Macomb, Illinois."

.

frankfrank · #12 03-17-2015, 08:02 PM

Hey guys, I was able to glean a little more information today, looking at the units more.

The Motorola was researched to being from 1947, though I'm not sure how that was determined. Somebody tested the CRT and said it's good.

The Andrea...and, wow, is THIS ever strange...has a Channel 1 on it...but it ALSO has the FM dial of 88-108 mHz. WHAT?? Those two things were not contemporaneous, were they? Is the Channel 1 some kind of holdover, or what? Should these two things coexist?

The RCA 630TS has a serial number C 021023, and IT HAS A CHANNEL 1 on it as well.

ONE MORE TV SET WAS "DISCOVERED" TODAY: Hallicrafters, COULD NOT find a model number, and I forgot to write down its screen size or type (from memory I want to say maybe 7 inch screen?), but it's in a METAL casing. The other Hallicrafters mentioned in my OP is in a wood cabinet.

Somebody in a PM or email to me, which I can't immediately reference right now, asked me if one of the TV's was a full floor console type, but I don't remember which one he was asking about. NO, IT ISN'T. (Could it be the "top part" of a console, though?) It's a desk top/table top full-sized model. He doesn't have any floor-console type TV's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy G

Of any of the CRTs-Picture Tubes- has an area in the middle of the screen that it looks like all the phosphorous has been wiped off, its JUNK. That means the tube has lost its vacuum, & is sorta like the Dead Parrot in the old Monty Python days-THAT Parrot wouldn't "Voom" if you ran a jillion volts thru it. It is a DEAD Parrot.

I didn't notice anything that looked like that. I think that I would have at least thought it "looked weird" or something. Apparently the CRT in the Motorola (the one with the strange melt over the screen, which I was told not to worry about) has been tested in the meanwhile and it's working, but all the others are unknown. Somebody asked if it's a "suitcase model" - I don't see any resemblance to anything like that??

Very funny that you would refer to the Monty Python thing. While we were there taking pictures earlier - well, afterward - one of the guys found a dead bird inside his house (estate)...and the Monty Python thing inevitably came up. Yes...with OUR particular group...that was entirely mandatory and guaranteed, haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electronic M

The sets with magnetic deflection tubes are easy to find testers for. If there is an older TV repair shop in the area, then they may still have a tester capable of testing the early magnetic deflection CRTs, and may be willing to do so for you.

I'm not sure who tested the Motorola, or when...but, as far as old TV repair places here, there's nothing. I can't remember, even, if such a place existed here even when I moved here nearly thirty years ago - I think Gamage did some of that but they were getting out of it, or something. There's a small town TV repair place about fifteen miles from here (in the tiny town of Table Grove), but all the times I've been by, I've NEVER seen anybody "home."

Quote:

Originally Posted by decojoe67

I agree that's it's all about condition and completeness. As far as my slant on it, the TV's are the best items. They seem to be mostly early post-war which are quite desirable to collectors. The stand-outs for me is the National, which actually is a 7" model. If in good shape could be worth several hundred dollars due to it's rarity. The Pilot 3" is very common, but continues to be VERY desirable, especially if the original CRT checks good, has all it's "ships-wheel" knobs, and the cabinet has no serious damage. Again several hundred dollars. The rest are all very nice models of moderate value unless in extraordinarily excellent original condition.

I didn't pay absolute attention to the utmost detail, but I at least didn't NOTICE any of the units that had any "empty" spaces where knobs apparently should be. That's a good thing. The plastic slats on the Pilot are intact, but I have no idea about its internal condition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WISCOJIM

I don't think anyone could give you a good estimate without detailed pictures or by seeing them in person. As init4fun mentioned, a set like the Pilot TV can range all over the place. A parts set with a bad picture tube and messed up cabinet would not be worth much at all. But clean and complete with a good picture tube could be near the high-end of his estimate. And at least one of those radios is very popular also. The Philco 116 tombstone is an excellent performer

And very often the location of the items will effect the value.

I'd suggest you start by posting good pictures of the key items and put them here, on the antique radio forum (www.antiqueradios.com), and also send them to the Public Relations Director over at the Antique Radio Club of Illinois (Art Bilski: [email protected] ).

Pictures were taken today, but I don't know if they'll be uploaded here or not. They're going out to a couple of guys on here...but I have a possibly good lead on a potential buyer who just happens to be located PRECISELY where I'm traveling this Sunday! Multiple states away from here, and it's quite interesting he'd just happen to be there, because he could have just as easily been in Seattle or something. If that deal looks probable, a good chance we'll go for that, because bypassing all the ugly logistics of shipping (or having somebody come from half a continent away, or something, to look) is a HUGE factor, and the bank doesn't want to spend a "ton" of time on it. Nor do I have the resources to devote much more time than I have already.

WISCOJIM · #13 03-18-2015, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankfrank

Pictures were taken today, but I don't know if they'll be uploaded here or not. They're going out to a couple of guys on here...

Could you send the pictures to me also? I have bought out many TV/radio collections in the past, and wouldn't hesitate to make an offer on this one depending on what I see.

You can send them to: [email protected]

.

frankfrank · #14 03-18-2015, 06:08 PM

Actually, all of this is being done on such a "short fuse" (at least regarding MY OWN ability to participate), and I have already exceeded the limits of my participation, with the need YET to finish my taxes before Friday AND "Get-Out-Of-Town" for a trip, that I'll need to put you in touch with the guy at the bank.

There are other factors going on as well, hopefully I can reply to you (via PM) before this day is finished. Under one of the possible outcomes, it may be impossible to entertain any further offers, because one of the offers would require the buyer knowing by Friday in the daytime, AND me making arrangements to pick up the TV's for delivery. It happens that one of the offers has come from somebody living EXACTLY where I will be on Sunday.

This process got retarded when it took a few days for my membership to be approved, without any way of changing the ABSOLUTE Friday night deadline.

I'll send your reply to the bank guy quickly and it's up to him to first see it, then send pictures. I haven't had the pictures long. And I am working 15 to 17 hour workdays preparing for my departure, and only so much is humanly possible on my part.