This looks like one of those early 50s "upgraded" 630's... I've seen similar ones, and evidently what they did was to take in your old 10" set on trade for a newer larger TV, then wholesale out the small-screen sets to companies who would make new cabinets and retrofit for a large tube... Then you could buy these at a reduced price as compared to a "new" large screen console.

Yes, there were obviously a lot of 630-style licensing lab TVs with larger tubes, but if you look closely, you will see that these knobs are the original "cone in a bar" RCA knobs and looks like the Ch 1 tuner with original gold bezel. That, in addition to the unfamiliar cabinet, leads me to think this is an upsize/resale set. Also there's no name plate on it. Those sets didn't have name plates because they might have been sued by the original manufacturer if the original name was used, or also if they made their own name but used the original mfr's chassis without paying licensing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-collector-TV-Television-Set-from-the-1950s_W0QQitemZ120092443162QQihZ002QQcategoryZ3638 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Probably not worth much, but you don't see these everyday.

Charles

Interesting TV. Without closer inspection its origins are unclear. Many off-brand manufacturers used a similar knob configuration, such as Meck, Teleking, Clarion, Teletone, etc, but a conversion is more likely. The big gold mask is a give away. Good assumption on the conversion.

Conversions were usually done for the original owners so they could reuse their original chassis with a new larger screen. Most often the shop would try to use the original cabinet and force the largest picture tube possible, like a 10" to a 14". Where that would not work, a new cabinet was provided as well. New cabinets did not have any brand name so that would explain the absence.

Licensing was not much of an issue in the 50s since there were not lawyers on every corner preparing class action litigation. Most of the GIs were not out of law school yet. Suing a local TV shop would not net much in 1951.

From a business view, it was more profitable to quick turn the trade in TVs of the time. It did not make sense to convert used TVs at shop expense, in hopes of a bigger profit. The time, space and cost would not justify it. Conversions were better financed by the customer.

Smaller screen used TVs were hauled West or to Canada where new stations were just coming on and viewers were desperate. Muntz was driving retail demand for big screens adding more confusion to the mix.

Just a little industry history for the young guys.

630 chassis were sold in radio and television magazines in the late 40s and early 50s. You could also buy empty cabinets. Many people made their own TV sets this way.

That certainly would have been a good way to get an updated tv set, and I think it would have been fun back then to do it.

I have some sales fliers that someone saved from that era and some of the wholesalers advertised empty cabinets at a decent price. Some of them are rather plain looking. I have also seen small ads in the back of old magazines offering used tv chassis', less tubes, at a very low price.