View Full Version : what is this!


DaveWM
11-24-2009, 07:32 AM
http://fayar.craigslist.org/atq/1476442400.html

doing my normal antique search
looks like a franken set.

newhallone
11-24-2009, 07:35 AM
Weird. Home made cab?

DaveWM
11-24-2009, 07:41 AM
yea thats what I figred, with the modern looking CRT, but then I would guess the knobs would have to be none functional..

Very strange.

batterymaker
11-24-2009, 09:38 AM
Curtis Mathes?

freakaftr8
11-24-2009, 10:57 AM
Wierd! Looks European..

kx250rider
11-24-2009, 11:45 AM
I think it's a 60s foreign set...

Charles

Jeffhs
11-24-2009, 11:59 AM
I saw the word "Mathes" (I think) on the front panel, near the tuner. This set may have been cobbled together from odd parts, with the front escutcheon coming from an old CM TV.

Zenith26kc20
11-24-2009, 12:46 PM
The mask looks European. Probably PAL system.

Charlie
11-24-2009, 07:42 PM
The lower knobs certainly look like early-60's Curtis Mathes. Not so sure about that channel selector knob.

jr_tech
11-24-2009, 07:54 PM
Not so sure about that channel selector knob.

I vote for '53-55 DuMont.

http://www.tvhistory.tv/1950-59-DUMONT.htm

IIRC the UHF models had a little window at the top of the "flare" ,where the UHF channel was indicated.

jr

bgadow
11-24-2009, 10:00 PM
There were a few-very few-American sets that used that type of crt mounting. They came and went in the early 60s as I recall. (this topic was raised in the last year or so) My guess is it is a genuine Curtis Mathes, fairly early for them. A rear view might tell a lot.

AUdubon5425
11-25-2009, 05:41 AM
That has the same channel selector knob (and the other knobs look similar) as on my 60/61 Curtis Mathes

jr_tech
11-25-2009, 01:46 PM
OK, I am thinking it is real :yes:...So the home-made looking cabinet is a really just a "rustic" style factory made, The European-looking crt mount WAS used briefly in the US, the knobs (including the DuMont-looking channel selector) appear to be correct for early 60s Curtis Mathis, but I still don't get the logo. I clearly see "Mathes" but where is "Curtis"? anybody got a picture of the C-M logo from that time period?

jr

Phil Nelson
11-25-2009, 04:28 PM
The cabinet seems too nice to be homemade. It might have been stripped. Notice darker color here and there, especially in crannies. If the finish was dark brown and shinier, I doubt anyone would have thought it odd.

Do you think it once had legs? Hard to picture such a big set as a tabletop.

Here's a quaint idea -- how's about emailing the owner and asking for more info, including a photo of the insides? Or maybe that would be considered cheating :)

Phil

Charlie
11-25-2009, 05:36 PM
Here's the CM controls on my '63 b&w entertainment center. Can't really see the CM logo, but it's just the typical "CM" in the circle... each letter in it's own little block. It's not often that you see an old Curtis Mathes TV without a stereo/turntable.

No doubt about those knobs.

bgadow
11-25-2009, 10:28 PM
It seems like I've seen something pretty early from C-M that just used the Mathes name. I could research some Sams but it's always too late by the time I get on here!

AUdubon5425
11-26-2009, 03:58 AM
...the knobs (including the DuMont-looking channel selector) appear to be correct for early 60s Curtis Mathis, but I still don't get the logo. I clearly see "Mathes" but where is "Curtis"? anybody got a picture of the C-M logo from that time period?

You can see the knobs here: Thread on my C-M set (http://videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=246007)

The pic below is the logo on the tube label inside the cabinet. There is no logo on my set - only a plate reading "Curtis-Mathes Hi-Fidelity"

I'd venture to guess C-M wasn't too consistent with their branding & logo placement this early on.

Charlie
11-26-2009, 07:36 AM
CM's b&w chassis were quite long. AUdubon's chassis (looks like Model 10) and mine (Model 8E) are very similar. The one Eric has in his CM combo would be the same as well. I don't think I've seen a smaller CM chassis. The cabinet that's in the CL ad would be just long enough to put one of these in.

daro
11-27-2009, 08:47 PM
The CRT looks like one from a Philco predictor if I'm not mistaken....

jr_tech
11-27-2009, 09:05 PM
The CRT looks like one from a Philco predictor if I'm not mistaken....

Very close indeed, but the corners on the 21" Predicta tube are slightly more rounded.

Charlie
12-06-2009, 08:53 PM
Nothing else turned up on this set? I tried emailing the seller while I was on the East Coast a few days ago. Now I'm near Mississippi, and have no reply from seller regarding this set. Did anyone else try getting a response about it?