A lady down the street is moving and has her father's old TV sitting in the garage. I believe it's an RCA TRK-12 according to pictures that I've found online. It's operating condition is unknown, but it appears to be intact (other that the cord being cut). I know nothing about vintage TV's as my collection is comprised of tubed console stereos and mono units. Is this something worth persuing? I think I can get it for next to nothing. The cabinet is in very nice shape with some minor veneer peeling. The picture tube is there and the mirror under the lid is intact. All the knobs are there, but the radio side looks to have some missing pushbutton caps. I really don't know what the heck I'd do with it, but it's just so damn cool looking!

Thanks!
Dave

Dave:

Yes, it is definitely worth getting if that is what it is. I am definitely interested in the set if you are not planning on keeping it. I am in New Jersey so not that far away.

It looks just like this (well, a lot dustier and with some veneer peeling on the right-front, curved portion of the lid):

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170763&d=1308501916

Dave

You lucky dog! Oh what I wouldn't give to have the chance to purchase a pre-war TV for next to nothing.

If you can get it for a good price, then go for it!

This is one TV that should have good room for profit in it(should you decide that you don't want to keep it).

Tom C.

These sets sell for an average of about $6-8,000 if they are complete and have a good cabinet.

There are a few postwar mirror in lid sets that look somewhat similar, so be sure it is really a TRK-12/120 before you buy it.

If you do get it, please contact me so the set can be entered in our database.

I suspect there will be some folks green with envy over this post here.

These sets sell for an average of about $6-8,000 if they are complete and have a good cabinet.
Are you serious? I really know absolutely nothing about vintage TV's.

If you do get it, please contact me so the set can be entered in our database.
Absolutely!

Cheers!
Dave

Uhh, that's one of the most coveted, "Holy Grail" type sets....Survivors can about be counted on yr fingers... If you DO get it, PLEASE don't be tempted to apply power to it until its been COMPLETELY checked out...

... If you DO get it, PLEASE don't be tempted to apply power to it until its been COMPLETELY checked out...
Sandy:

If there's one thing that I learned from AK and through the restoration of my tube consoles, it's that. And the one thing that I do know about vintage TV's is that as scary as the voltages are in old tube stereos, they pale in comparison to those in old TV's.

Dave

Sandy:

If there's one thing that I learned from AK and through the restoration of my tube consoles, it's that. And the one thing that I do know about vintage TV's is that as scary as the voltages are in old tube stereos, they pale in comparison to those in old TV's.

Dave

Most Pre war sets use a "Brute Force" high voltage supply as opposed to a Flyback supply.

The Flyback type is very low amperage, it'll bite you but seldom hurt you, the brute force supply is stepped by a transformer right off the line voltage , massive amperage and instant death if you happen to come in contact with it.

The B+ is dangerous in any set but still only 200-400 volts, it'll kill you too of course but it takes longer. :D

Main thing is to be careful around any high potential, and treat it with the respect it deserves.

Sandy:

If there's one thing that I learned from AK and through the restoration of my tube consoles, it's that. And the one thing that I do know about vintage TV's is that as scary as the voltages are in old tube stereos, they pale in comparison to those in old TV's.

Dave

I wasn't talkin' about YOU, I was talkin' about the TV !! Mbwahahahaha...(Grin) Seriously, DO be careful...'Lektwissitty DON'T take no prisoners...

If this is a real post about a real TRK-12, there indeed will be a lot of envious people on here. But all due respect to the OP, there need to be photos put up of the actual set, and a serial number that isn't already in the ETF database, etc., as sadly, there have been many hoaxes out there surrounding TRK-12s and CT-100s, etc.

These things do come up for real once in awhile, as I know a building contractor who was hired to rebuild an old garage, and the lady said her late husband's non-running old Chevy had to be towed out of it first. She said the contractor could have it if he was silly enough to want it, and it turned out when he dug into the garage, that it was a '54 Corvette in showroom condition with low miles that had been parked since the 50s.

Charles

If this is a real post about a real TRK-12, there indeed will be a lot of envious people on here. But all due respect to the OP, there need to be photos put up of the actual set, and a serial number that isn't already in the ETF database, etc., as sadly, there have been many hoaxes out there surrounding TRK-12s and CT-100s, etc.
I'll try and get some pics today when she gets home. Will the serial number be on the back panel?

Dave

The serial number will be stamped on the main chassis.

Okay, this is the best I can do until I (hopefully) get it into my home.

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170775&d=1308593838

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170771&d=1308593820

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170772&d=1308593820

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170774&d=1308593820

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170776&d=1308593878

Dave

One more.

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170777&d=1308594121

Dave

Wow.....Like findin' a Duesenberg in a locked, dry shed....I'm in awe...

So it is what I thought?

Dave

Looks like The Real Deal to me... But I'm no Xpert...

It's a TRK-12 alright! I see some mods so it probably continued in use for quite a while.

Thanks everyone! I'll continue to talk to her about getting it. How high should I go? Would $500 be too much to offer and still be able to recoup my investment? It's obviously not operational with the cut cords, but I saw at least four chassis through the back and didn't see any empty tube sockets. I assume the picture tube is in there, but it looks to be covered in a cardboard cone.

Dave

I think you could go a few multiples of $500 and still turn a profit, but what do I know. I'd keep it. :D

Would $500 be too much to offer and still be able to recoup my investment?
I don't think you'd have any trouble reselling it for $500. This is a scarce item, worth considerably more than that. If I weren't 3,000 miles away and totally out of room for such things, I'd already be scheming how to get my hands on it.

Whatever you do, don't THINK about plugging it in, no way, nohow.

If I were transporting it, I'd try to remove some of the chassis, as well.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

I think you could go a few multiples of $500 and still turn a profit, but what do I know. I'd keep it. :D
Well, as I said in my first post, I know nothing about vintage television. My area of interest lies in tube consoles and radios. If I get it, I seriously doubt I'd be keeping it even if it is somewhat rare. Just how many of these things were made?

Dave

... I see some mods so it probably continued in use for quite a while.
I assume you're referring to the toggle switch installed in the radio panel?

Dave

That and it appears likely the TV tuner was modified, probably with a postwar 12 or 13 channel tuner to replace the 5 channel original.

That and it appears likely the TV tuner was modified, probably with a postwar 12 or 13 channel tuner to replace the 5 channel original.
Eww, that sounds like it would effect its value a bit.

Dave

If you don't decide to keep it, you can always donate it to the ETf Museum in Hilliard,
OH. They will make sure it lives on for a very long time.

If you'll drop it off in the driveway on your way through I'll see that it's disposed of properly.

If you'll drop it off in the driveway on your way through I'll see that it's disposed of properly.

Hey ! Dammit, that's MY line...Work yer OWN side of th' Street ! (grin)

It looks like the tuner may have been replaced by a DuMont inductuner. Yes, this will reduce the value, since the cabinet was changed to make room. My guess is that the chassis was hacked to make room for the new tuner, further reducing the value.

Looks like the radio has been modified too. Some chassis photos would show what had been changed.

Even with these modifications the set is worth much more than $500.

That and it appears likely the TV tuner was modified, probably with a postwar 12 or 13 channel tuner to replace the 5 channel original.
Well, assuming everything else is original and the cabinet is in as good condition as it appears, how badly is this going to hurt its value? I can't imagine that the original tuner is something that can be picked up on ebay.

Thoughts please?
Dave

It looks like the tuner may have been replaced by a DuMont inductuner. Yes, this will reduce the value, since the cabinet was changed to make room. My guess is that the chassis was hacked to make room for the new tuner, further reducing the value.

Looks like the radio has been modified too. Some chassis photos would show what had been changed.
Thank you Steve, that all makes perfect sense. If I'm able to get it, the first thing I'll do is pull the back off and post some pics of the guts.

Dave

Wow.....Like findin' a Duesenberg in a locked, dry shed....I'm in awe...
Well, apparently a little closer to finding a Jag E-Type Series 1 with a small-block Chevy shoehorned into it. Hopefully, most of the body and suspension are original. My initial excitement has waned a bit with each new post by those with knowledge. ;)

Dave

I'd suspect it's mostly original under the hood, save for the tuner and maybe the sound modified for FM. Even still, it's worth a good chunk of change - they just didn't make many of these sets to begin with. I'd say a good number of the remaining ones are in museums...

... and maybe the sound modified for FM.
How can you tell? I didn't see FM on the radio dial.

Dave

It is possible to rebuild the original tuner if the chassis hasn't been cut to make room for the new tuner.

Our database has a total of 68 surviving TRK-12/120s, by far the highest number of any prewar sets. About 1800 were made.

http://www.earlytelevision.org/prewar_database.html

The modification for FM sound refers to FM sound for the television. Prior to 1941, TV sound was AM, and some prewar sets were modified to add FM detectors. Restoring the AM detector is usually easy.

As for value, a nice, complete set usually sells for about $8,000. The modifications affect the appearance of the set, which hurts value more than if they were only internal changes. The cabinet of this set looks pretty good. I would guess that it would sell for between $4,000 and $6,000, depending on the condition of the chassis. However, prices of old TV sets are all over the place, depending on who is looking for a particular set at any given time.

The FM reference is to how the tv tuner handled tv sound. Nothing to do with the radio which could not sniff FM.

Get down there tonight with $500 to start. I will loan you the rest for a partnership,

Dave A

Wow Steve! You are apparently VideoKarma's resident TV equivalent to AudioKarma's resident Fisher expert Carter (TheRed1). Thank you for your informative reply.

Dave

Here are some better pics of the TV tuner mod:

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170778&d=1308613628

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170779&d=1308613628

And the radio side:

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170780&d=1308613628

I really wish she'd come back to the house. I last saw her Friday evening when her husband-to-be and his brother were moving stuff out of the house. I'm really happy that she's getting re-married (she's 50-something like me), but the fact that she's left this in an un-locked garage has me a bit worried.

Dave

As Dave A said, you need to get down there TONIGHT and buy that set. No questions asked, just make a deal and get it. You cannot loose! If someone else discovers this set, they will buy it immediately.

I'm in CT If you decide you don't want it let me know i will buy it! Thanks Eric

Heck, I would FLY to Connecticut and drive a rented truck 3200 miles back home if I could buy this TV for $500! I hope you get it soon.

Really, though, if you do not want to keep the set and restore it/have it restored for yourself, putting it on Ebay is probably your best bet to offer it to the widest group of people who would want it. Offer to assist the buyer if they choose a company such as Craters and Freighters to pick it up, pack it, and have it shipped to their home.

Anybody else notice the missing decals on the TV control side board? Also it looks like the board is mahogany rather than the tight grained walnut normally used, possibly replaced when tuner mod happened.
With all the dust can't tell if the radio side board has labels.

Looks to be a TRK-12 rather than a TRK-120, radio appears to have an eye tube, and the bottom kick panel looks to have the center open.

Biggest unknown is going to be the CRT, they can be rebuilt ($1000+), but a verified good one would make the set a lot easier to sell.

I think if I came across this set, I'd be inclined to leave the tuner in it. It's part of its history, the owners thought the set was worth spending a bit of money to update it and continue using it possibly into the late 40's or early 50's.

If you do end up with this set, the most important thing to protect is the CRT. If you aren't comfortable removing it then make sure the set is transported straight up, DO NOT let it tip over as you risk breaking the neck of the tube. If you do decide to remove the CRT, be extremely careful removing the high voltage cable on the CRT bell, over time this connection corrodes and if you pull on it you can pull the HV terminal off and run the risk of cracking the glass.

Looks like you will be upgrading your audio system - BIG TIME

Good Luck

Chuck

Does anyone have an idea as to what this monster weighs?

Dave

Does anyone have an idea as to what this monster weighs?

Dave

198 lbs.


Anybody else notice the missing decals on the TV control side board? Also it looks like the board is mahogany rather than the tight grained walnut normally used, possibly replaced when tuner mod happened.

I think so as well. It also seems to be very thin as seen by the edge of the wood in the cutout. It's actually a pretty nice looking job.

First, that IS a real set, and I'm dumbfounded! Collecting TVs for 35 years, and this is the first TRK-12 that has just popped up out of a house. You are indeed lucky!

My take on the tuner, is that it's a DuMont (Mallory) Inputuner. Somebody cut out the face plate, sadly, and retrofitted that tuner to replace the original 5-channel tuner. That does affect the value of the TV, but certainly doesn't kill it. I hope they didn't do any sawing and cutting on the chassis, but honestly since that was probably done some time right after WWII, it is a "grandfathered-in" butcher mod, and could be acceptable. Much as if someone added 1930s seatbelts to a 1912 Cadillac, in the 1930s.

There will be a lot of opinions on the value, and all I can say is that the right people have seen and posted on this thread, so you will get the true value if you sell. Let me put it this way: If I thought the set could be had for $2000, and I'm not misinterpreting anything in the pics, I'd be on the next plane with wallet in hand. But I also know someone else would be on an earlier plane with a bigger offer.

That TV is very dangerous to move, and I ask that you please be careful. The picture tube is not fastened in, and the wood mask with the safety glass lens is probably just sitting on the top of the TV; not fastened. It would not take much to break that CRT, and that would take the value down about $1000, assuming the tube is physically intact now. The big, heavy chassis on the bottom is also notoriously not bolted in, as there were lazy repairmen who would just loosely stick one or two bolts half way in. If I owned it, I'd carefully dismantle the TV, and move it in pieces. That MUST be done by an experience vintage TV hobbyist though, as there are quirks and tricks to it. I have the service manual and installation process manual for that TV, and so do most other members here, so if you have any questions, please do ask!

Congratulations on that find, and thank you for being smart enough to look into what you found, rather than do as some do, and just bang it home and stick it in the garage for future fiddling with, etc.

Charles

The TV is less than 500 feet down the street from my house. If I get it, I'm hoping to just carefully lift it onto a dolly and slowly wheel it into my garage. Then, with the help of my sons and a strong neighbor or 2, we'll bring it into the house once I'm certain there's nothing living in it. I'm hoping to not do ANY dismantling other than removing the back for inventory and pictures. I'll get most of the dirt and dust cleaned off and blown out prior to bringing it inside. I'll be careful to not pull on or disturb any of the internal wiring as I have no doubt that is has become somewhat brittle with age. I think that some of what I've learned through my restoration of 7 consoles will help in my being very careful with this.

Thank you one and all!

Dave

If you're going to trundle it down the street on a dolly, I would at least check beforehand that ALL of the chassis mounting screws are secure, and there is nothing whatsoever flopping around loose. Even then, I think you're taking a big risk.

My strong preference, as I stated earlier, would be to disassemble it for moving. You'll have to disassemble it for restoration, anyway . . . .

Phil Nelson

Whatever you do, PUH-LEEZE be careful !!

... My strong preference, as I stated earlier, would be to disassemble it for moving. You'll have to disassemble it for restoration, anyway . . . .
Phil:

Are you seriously suggesting that I disassemble this thing just to move it down the street? Were these things delivered in parts when they were new? Quite obviously, I've never dealt with a vintage television before, but I've never gone to those lengths in transporting old tube consoles. Would it be cautious enough to merely remove the back and check that the chassis are properly secured? Can I assume that the biggest danger is in possibly damaging the picture tube? I'm not gonna ride this thing down the street like a skate-board. ;)

Dave

Not that I would ever suggest this, but my TRK12 was moved from California to Michigan by a flaky, one man moving company. It took over a month from when he picked it up to when he delivered it as he roamed the country looking for junk. The crt was left in the set, and it all arrived fine.

Pre-war sets, and early post-war sets where delivered with the crt in a separate box and installed by the service technician in the home. If anything you might want to remove the crt, but this takes some knowledge of these sets to know how to do it, so it may be better left in situ for fear of damaging or imploding the crt. If you do want to remove the crt, we can post the step by step procedure to do so.

Darryl

Would it be possible to merely lift the CRT gently from the top, and pad it (around the opening) with a towel to try and immobilize it somewhat? Just how thin is that glass envelope? You guys are really starting to make me nervous. I had no idea that finding this would be akin to finding a pristine '60 Fisher President at a garage sale for 5 bucks. And I thought my '56 Fisher Custom Futura was rare!

Dave

From what I've been reading you have come across what looks to be a very rare set. Hope you end up getting it. If you've worked on tube radios, you're half way there, TV's are a bit more complex just watch the higher voltages/EHT and you should be fine.
BTW are those HPM100's in your avatar?

Cheers
Glen

... BTW are those HPM100's in your avatar?
They're Plexiglas (lucite) HPM-900's that Pioneer produced for their dealers when the 900's were introduced. They sound "okay" at lower volumes, but the bass tends to get flabby with increased volume. I have them mainly as display pieces.

Dave

... Biggest unknown is going to be the CRT, they can be rebuilt ($1000+), but a verified good one would make the set a lot easier to sell.
Having never dealt with this, just how does one test a CRT? I have a Hickok 750, but that ain't gonna help here. I'm okay with replacing capacitors and out-of-spec resistors and such, but this is a whole new world for me. I would imagine there's a whole host of unobtainium contained in this thing. For instance, I don't have the knowledge or equipment to rebuild/rewind a transformer. And the only real thing I know about CRTs is that I'm happy to not have one on my desk anymore. Upon his return from WWII, my dad helped form the Mobile Radio division at GE. A lot of my basic electrical knowledge was garnered from him as I studied Mech. Eng. and Comp. Sci. in college and have been writing CADD software for the last 27+ years. Most of my understanding of tube-based amp topologies has been learned from the generous offerings by the members of AudioKarma, who walked me through the refurbishment of my '63 Fisher Custom Electra (my first console).

Dave

Dave,
Pre-war crt's are made from Pyrex and are very tough, but should be treated as any crt, with care. The best way to test them is in operation. You can of course at least check for a good getter and filament. These crt's use a 2.5V filament.

The crt is not actually loose in the set but is held in place inside the cardboard sleeve which is held by braces at the top. The rubber mask on top and wood escutcheon holds the crt down. If you do want to remove it, take the center wood escutcheon off (screws in the back and wing nuts towards the front), very carefully remove the socket and HV lead, and lift the crt AND cardboard sleeve straight up and out of the cabinet. You will be lifting the crt neck out through the yoke, so be careful not to put any undue side force on the neck. Just lift straight up.

You can see what the 12AP4 crt and cardboard sleeve look like here:
http://www.myvintagetv.com/picture_tubes.htm

Darryl

Thanks Darryl! Just how tight are those connections likely to be? I would imagine that there's going to be a fair bit of oxidation happening there. Is Deoxit of any value here to try and loosen the connections?

Dave

... You can of course at least check for a good getter and filament. These crt's use a 2.5V filament.
You wouldn't happen to have the pin configuration for this thing would ya? :D

Dave

Wow, 2011 and finds like this are still turning up! This is a real dream find.

I think the best value might be in selling it pretty much as-is, maybe just a gentle cleaning, and a test of the crt. It wouldn't take much of a crt tester for what you need to find out. I don't know personally if these used the same pinout as the postwar sets, but somebody here does. In all cases I know of, the filament pins were located on either side of the keyway. I sure didn't know these were 2.5v-that would have been my expensive mistake!

I've often thought that if I stumbled upon a CT-100, I would go straight to ebay with it. But if I found a TRK-12? I think I would have to hold onto it, if I could at all afford it. Now, if you don't have a big interest in old TV...sell, sell, sell! I wouldn't monkey with it much. This is the kind of set which, when being recapped, should be very carefully restuffed. Most of us on Videokarma will never have a remote chance of owning one of these, and will never see one outside of a museum.

Well, to be perfectly honest, I really have no interest in hanging onto it if I'm able to get it. It's really just too far outside the orb of my interests. And no, that doesn't mean that I'm offering it for sale here. I assume the rules here are the same as at AudioKarma. Besides, it's not even mine yet. But, due to the generous offering of information given by the VideoKarma membership, it is now my full-time job to get that piece into my possession. Who knows, if I can get it, I might just be able to fulfill my dream of owning a Fisher President console!

Dave

The value of these sets has stayed pretty much the same for 10 years. Because they are relatively common (for a prewar set) I don't expect they will go up as much as the really rare sets. I would put the set on Ebay with a reserve.

Thanks Darryl! Just how tight are those connections likely to be? I would imagine that there's going to be a fair bit of oxidation happening there. Is Deoxit of any value here to try and loosen the connections?

Dave

The socket should pull off easily. Just make sure to hold the crt base as you pull the socket so you don't stress the leads if the base is loose. As Chuck mentioned the biggest issue is with the HV lead. These tend to be very tight on their own, and can be corroded making things worse. If the button is stuck to the HV socket, you run the risk of breaking the lead off in the crt, or at the worst, cracking the glass in that area and ruining the tube. I have had these anywhere from very loose to extremely tight. It shouldn't scare you off, just be as careful as possible when removing that lead.


You wouldn't happen to have the pin configuration for this thing would ya?

Dave

The 12AP4 uses an early 6 pin base with no key, just two large pins and four small ones. The filament is on pins 1 and 6 which are the large pins.

Darryl

Wow.....Like findin' a Duesenberg in a locked, dry shed....I'm in awe...
Well, other than getting a Fisher President, a '66 (or so) Lincoln convertible would be kinda cool to have. :D

Dave

... The 12AP4 uses an early 6 pin base with no key, just two large pins and four small ones. The filament is on pins 1 and 6 which are the large pins.
Thanks again Darryl! That's what I needed to know.

Dave

I think the best value might be in selling it pretty much as-is, maybe just a gentle cleaning, and a test of the crt.
I would list it on eBay very much as-is. You will get more if the CRT has been tested and confirmed good. That's all I would do, apart from brushing off the dust.

Your market is a very small number of extremely finicky people, possibly including a museum or two. More than likely, they would prefer to do everything themselves -- including cleaning -- to ensure it's done their way.

Whatever you do, don't put Pledge or any other product containing silicone on the cabinet. Silicone oil contamination can create awful problems if someone later decides to refinish the cabinet.

Phil Nelson

If you do put it on eBay, I might suggest two tips: If you don't have a fairly long seller history, you might want to have a friend list it for you, who does have a long history and preferably with big-ticket items. Also, you might want to make a reference to this discussion thread in the listing, so that non-AK members who haven't read this thread, will see several comments by some very well-respected TV historians. There have been quite a few fakes on eBay, and that can be a big factor in people not bidding; especially if they're overseas. There are several TV collectors overseas with whom I've traded large sets, and they have a network of shippers here in the USA, and it's not a big deal to accept a winning bid from those collectors. At least one of them is on AK.

Charles

Well, I've been an ebay member since Feb. 2000 with feedback score of 364, 100% positive, with 45 being as a seller. I've never sold anything for over $1000, but have several sales in the $300-$600 range with nothing but glowing praise in my feedback.

... There are several TV collectors overseas with whom I've traded large sets, and they have a network of shippers here in the USA, and it's not a big deal to accept a winning bid from those collectors. At least one of them is on AK.
And what's involved in preparing one of these for shipment overseas or do their shippers take care of it?

Dave

Just how does one test a CRT? Is this something I could do myself or is it best to haul it (the CRT) to a repair shop for testing? A quick Google search turned up nothing in the way of vintage TV restoration shops in CT.

Dave

Testing a CRT requires a special CRT tester, you'd need to find someone near by that has one.

Testing the tube in that set requires more than just a standard tester. You will need someone who knows what they are doing, with clip leads to connect the tube to the tester. I can see if there is a collector near you who could test it for you if you like.

... I can see if there is a collector near you who could test it for you if you like.
Thank you again Steve. If this ever comes to fruition, I will take you up on that kind offer.

Dave

And what's involved in preparing one of these for shipment overseas or do their shippers take care of it?

Dave
Whether it is shipped overseas or within the USA, the shipper would handle all of the details as directed by the buyer. You would only have to agree in your Ebay listing to cooperate with the buyer's shipping arrangements (as in, you will answer your door when they arrive, and let them into your garage :) ), after payment is received, of course. I have done this and had no problems.

Your personal Ebay experience as described is fine for this item.

Anybody else notice the missing decals on the TV control side board? Also it looks like the board is mahogany rather than the tight grained walnut normally used, possibly replaced when tuner mod happened.
With all the dust can't tell if the radio side board has labels.
Well, as I haven't been able to catch up with the lady that's been living there, I got in touch with the owners of the house (she was renting, as the owners were xfered to France). The owners tell me that she is supposed to be out by the end of the month and if the TV is still there in July, it's mine for the taking. I took a stroll down this evening to check on it and it's still there. I can say that the decals on the Radio side are still there, yet very dark as though they were stained over. I was able to make-out the the word "Victrola" around one of the radio's selector knobs. The tuning indicator (needle) for the radio still moves in response to the knob! The panel on the TV side is indeed quite thin. Perhaps 1/8". The TV tuner reminds me a bit of a KLH 21 radio tuner in that the tuning knob turns at (perhaps) a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio in relationship to the tuning indicator (needle).

Dave

... I can say that the decals on the Radio side are still there, yet very dark as though they were stained over.
My guess is that when the TV tuner was replaced, its new panel was stained in-place and the radio side was hit at the same time to try and make them match.

Dave

RCA Factory Service ran around after the war converting these sets to the post-war channel 2-6 scheme. My 120 has the conversion. This set got a mod by someone else to get the continous tuner in place complete with the panel change.

This one got some good woodworking to get the new cutout right. A third party or the true owner is my guess. A timeline of the Inductuner introduction will help set the time of the change.

the garage is unlocked and I have permission from the home-owners) and it's still there.
If the lady is AWOL, I would contact the owners and politely offer to buy and install a sturdy padlock on their garage. Give them (or their local agent) all the keys, so they know you're not trying to pull something. Explain that you got your heart set on that funny old thing in the garage and it's worth the cost of a padlock to make sure it doesn't disappear from their property.

Phil Nelson

Here's my TRK-12 on the left, in very rough shape which I found for almost nothing. But the nicer replacement cabinet on the right cost me almost $1,000 - empty! A modified, but restorable cabinet in good overall shape like yours with modified but probably restorable innards would have to be worth a lot more than an empty cabinet.

http://njarc.org/sica/SIMG5184.jpg

As Steve says, prices can be all over the place. You have no easy way of telling whether the picture tube in the set is good, but good CRTs had been bringing up to $2,500 - IF you could find one.

I'm over in New Jersey. If you need help moving it, just ask.

Phil Nelson is right. You need to do WHATEVER it takes to take possession of that set NOW!!! Don't wait for next week or next month. The longer you wait, the greater the chance something will happen to sour the deal. Quit talking about it and GO GET IT! :-)

...

If the button is stuck to the HV socket, you run the risk of breaking the lead off in the crt, or at the worst, cracking the glass in that area and ruining the tube.

:eek: :pity:


.

I have a collector friend who has noticed a syndrome over the years: he used to post notices on the bulletin board at work that he collects old radios and phonographs. Often someone would contact him with "some old thing" that they'd be glad to give him to get it out of the house.

But, he says, on any number of occasions after he's gotten them thinking about it, they'd seem to decide that if someone was interested in it, it must be a good collectible. And then the offer was withdrawn.

So strike while the iron is hot!

--Dave

P.S. If you get the set, you really should consider keeping it. You'd be an instant "high end" TV collector. And it's a lot of fun.

.

To put it in audiophile language, you're looking at a complete tube McIntosh setup (pair of top end monoblocks, tuner, and preamp) for $500, and you're not sure if it's worth it because there have been some hack job repairs. The only thing you should be struggling with is whether or not to practically steal it from the lady who's moving.

Yes. And although there's absolutely nothing wrong with buying it for $500 if that's what they asked (I paid $20 for mine!) the advice of another member here who'd legendary in "getting the deal done" (you know who you are!) would probably be, especially if things are moving worrisomely slowly at the free or $500 level, to cut your risk of the deal going bad AND perhaps do the honorable thing by taking $1,000 or $2,000 in cash over to the owner and making it happen NOW!

.

Okay, an update. I was able to speak to the lady today. The television was her father's who has recently passed away. I told her that her fiance' had offered to sell it to me and asked if she'd like me to save her the hassle of having to move it by buying it. She said that she'd have to check with her sister, as she is the executor of their father's estate. When I first mentioned the TV, she said something like "one of the first ones", so she apparently knows that it may be worth something. As it stands now, she knows I am interested, but she is beholden to moving it unless she gets the OK from her sister to sell it to me. As it is now becoming obvious that this is going to get more involved, if she and her sister are interested in selling it I will now point out all of the problems with it (cut cords, modified radio panel, modified TV tuner and panel, unknown CRT ststus) in order to keep the price down. I know I still want to get it, but only if there's enough meat left on the bone to turn a dollar or 2. I don't generally buy vintage audio pieces with the intention of flipping them, but this is different. Call me a TV whore if you wish, but I really have no interest in keeping this. How high can I go (with what we know thus far) and still be able to make a few dollars? I realize how sleazy this might sound to you that are serious about this hobby, but I'm being honest. I'm driving 2.5 hours this weekend to pick up a '61 Fisher Custom Electra from the original owner with the intent of adding it to my collection. I only mention this to let you know that I'm a serious collector, just not of vintage TV's.

Thank you everyone once again, I'll keep you updated as events warrant.

Dave

Who knows, the cat may be out of the bag. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to Google for "rca trk-12" and learn in 60 seconds that it's a historic and valuable item. Among other things, that search will reveal this very discussion, where TV collectors are wetting their pantaloons over the thought of buying it.

They may be wising up as we speak, in short.

Under the circs, I see two options:

1. Make a low-ish, but reasonable and fair, offer that would let you turn a modest profit by immediately flipping it. Be prepared for rejection. (Under similar circumstances, I have made offers that I considered quite generous; the sellers instantly got dollar signs in their eyes and decided to look for bigger fish elsewhere.)

2. Step out of the deal and tell them it's historic and valuable. Advise that they list it on eBay and direct them to this discussion if they haven't already discovered it.

It's hard to keep secrets in a forum that's visible worldwide a few milliseconds after you click "Submit Reply."

Phil Nelson
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

I really wouldn't be too surprised to hear that some enterprising collector in the northeast hadn't already deduced where the set is in Connecticut and is just now hauling it away.

I really wouldn't be too surprised to hear that some enterprising collector in the northeast hadn't already deduced where the set is in Connecticut and is just now hauling it away.

Wouldn't shock me at all either.

I really wouldn't be too surprised to hear that some enterprising collector in the northeast hadn't already deduced where the set is in Connecticut and is just now hauling it away.
Well if they are enterprising enough to determine where it is, they certainly deserve it! I realize that CT isn't a terribly big state, but there are a lot of little towns in it.

Well if they are enterprising enough to determine where it is, they certainly deserve it! I realize that CT isn't a terribly big state, but there are a lot of little towns in it.

Is Canton a little town?

Is Canton a little town?
Only ~25 sq. mi. with a population of ~12,000. So yes, it's a relatively little town.

Only ~25 sq. mi. with a population of ~12,000. So yes, it's a relatively little town.

That's a teeming metropolis compared to Starlight.

I am green with envy!:yes: If it was mine I would restore and never let it out of my sight. Don't sell it, keep it if you have the room for it. That is a once in a lifetime find, fate is trying to tell you something! If your lucky enough to end up with itKeep it, don't sell it! Just thinking about this set is making me light-headed. This is like winning the lottery, IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE, don't sell it! :nono: Keep it and polish it daily.:banana:

Steve P

I am green with envy!:yes: It it was mine I would restore and never let it out of my sight. Don't sell it, keep it if you have the room for it. That is a once in a lifetime find, fate is trying to tell you something! Keep it don't sell it!

I'd echo this... it's likely the perfectionist in me, but I couldn't bear to part with it and _not_ know how it was being treated... but I don't doubt there's plenty of people out there who know how to care for it and would love to have one.

Each his own, and I respect your choice. (but still... resell? why would you _ever_ want to do that? :))

Seems everyone that has chimed in on the future of this set has overlooked one important item, Dave isn't a TV collector. I see an audio collector who is looking for a means to acquire/upgrade his collection, just like any of the TV collectors would be looking at a rare and valuable non TV piece they found in a thrift shop.

If I had a Fisher President or the like sitting in my garage I'd be trying to make a deal with Dave 2 days ago. It sounds as if this set ends up in Dave's hands, it is going to be available to us TV collectors at, of course, market value but that's the luck of the draw.

Dave, you're from New England get that Yankee trader mind set in gear. Take a stack of hundreds the next time you go to talk with the owner, start putting them on the table, it's remarkable what the sight of hundred dollar bills does for negotiations.

Chuck

If nothing else offer to sell it for them on eBay, for a percentage of course.

... Dave, you're from New England get that Yankee trader mind set in gear. Take a stack of hundreds the next time you go to talk with the owner, start putting them on the table, it's remarkable what the sight of hundred dollar bills does for negotiations.
They're already in my wallet Chuck! :thmbsp:

I'm hoping she comes around today so I can start laying 'em down.

Dave

Seems everyone that has chimed in on the future of this set has overlooked one important item, Dave isn't a TV collector. I see an audio collector who is looking for a means to acquire/upgrade his collection, just like any of the TV collectors would be looking at a rare and valuable non TV piece they found in a thrift shop.

If I had a Fisher President or the like sitting in my garage I'd be trying to make a deal with Dave 2 days ago. It sounds as if this set ends up in Dave's hands, it is going to be available to us TV collectors at, of course, market value but that's the luck of the draw.

Dave, you're from New England get that Yankee trader mind set in gear. Take a stack of hundreds the next time you go to talk with the owner, start putting them on the table, it's remarkable what the sight of hundred dollar bills does for negotiations.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck. You hit the nail squarely on the head. Truer words were never spoken.

If you get it , please PLEASE PLEASE be careful not to break the picture tube! If you need extra hands I am but 40 minutes north of you on RT.91 in Deerfield MA. and would be happy to help you move it, I would hate to see something get damaged on this wonderful old set.

Steve

MAN... This has been the best soap opera I have seen in my life! How has this ended?!

Just a few facts
- Pretty much the whole board, me included obviously, is green with envy
- I would also get into a plane with a big wallet if I had the wallet, and I could figure out how to get that thing back home... in fact I would come back like Gollum saying "my precious"...
- To compensate somebody that has all this luck together, there must be many many unlucky TV collectors around!!!

I just stumbled on to this thread. Don't get to the B&W forum very often. My TRK-120 story: About 35 or more years ago (pre-internet), I read an ad in a local shopping guide. The ad was for an old tv with a mirror in the top. I knew enough about pre-war TV to call on this and the owner wanted $100.00. I called my brother for help and borrowed the KTLA-TV prop van. I worked there then. Drove to Van Nuys to the sellers home. The set was sitting in his garage with a drop coth covering it. He removed the cloth and there was the 120. I caught my breath and tried to remain composed as to not have him raise the price. I did a hasty exam of the set, it was all there. He took my 100 bucks and my brother and myself, not knowing about the picture tube mounting ect. tilted the 120 on its back and slid it on to a packing blanket into the van. I secured it and we drove it to my home in the Hollywood Hills, I live in an apt. up 2 flights of stairs. We removed the chassis to lighten the load and carried the cabinet w/the pix tube still installed up to my patio. The heavy chassis followed. Over the next few days I cleaned out the crud from the cabinet and used a soft paint brush and vaccum cleaner to clean up the various chassis.
I than reinstalled all the chassis with no parts left over. Having no knowledge of the consequences, at the time, I plugged it in. I turned the power on and flipped the multi function knob to "TELEVISION". After a bit of snap, crackle and pop, but no smoke, the picture tube lit up with a bright raster. I connected the antenna lead to it and a picture appeared. The set had the 6 channel tuner.
Still feeling brave I switched to the "RADIO" position plainly marked on the panel. The TV went off and the radio dial lit up. All the buttons were intact and had Los Angeles radio station call letters on the pushbuttons. Many, long off the air. Pushing one of the buttons and the low hum of a motor was heard as the tuning indicator slowing and automatically moved to a station at the upper end of the dial. I had know Idea there was motorized tuning. I did no restoration on the set, other ten cleaning up the cabinet. I did remove the mirror from it's frame to clean it up and notice a date from some time in 1940 printed on the back. It sat in my living room for several years. When I aquired my CT-100 and then a huge CTC-5 Wingate model, I decided to sell, because of lack of space, the TRK-120. I put an ad in the local antique radio club newsletter and asked $6000.00 mid 70's dollars. I asked very high so I could bargin down to a lower price. Even then, I knew these were rare and valuable sets. An early pre-war TV collector Kent Warner lived close by and came to see it and told me it would bring at least $3000.00. He already owned a 120 and several other sets. A fellow from Huntington Beach, Ca. called me, he was very excited. Said he saw this set, as a child, at the 1939 Worlds Fair and always wanted one. He asked if I had sold it yet. I said no. Without any pause he said he would go to the bank that day and get the $6000. and bring a friend and a van the next day. Of course I accepted. Early the next morning he arrived and asked, with some stress, if I still had the set and hadn't sold it since our converation. I invited him in and he saw that the set was there and in wonderful condition. We sat at my dining room table while he counted out $6000.00 in one hundred dollar bills. Between the three of us and a furniture dolly we carefully took it one long step at a time downstairs and loaded it into his van. I never heard from him again. To this day I'm sorry I sold my TRK-120. Sorry for the long story, but it kind of fit this clif hanging thread.

Good luck Dave,
-Steve D.

Steve, Kent Warner wrote what has to be one of the earliest articles ever published about vintage TV collecting for a book about general TV history that was published sometime in late 1977. There are a couple of pictures of what I assume is your TRK-120, one with him posed in front of it. Both of them show it in operation.

In the same article he tells of buying an RR-359 from a gas station for $40 and adds that the set which he identified as a TRK-12 required a much larger investment.

ETA Correction: The RR-359 wasn't his, that was a lucky purchase of a friend of his.

Steve, Kent Warner wrote what has to be one of the earliest articles ever published about vintage TV collecting for a book about general TV history that was published sometime in late 1977. There are a couple of pictures of what I assume is your TRK-120, one with him posed in front of it. Both of them show it in operation.

In the same article he tells of buying an RR-359 from a gas station for $40 and adds that the set which he identified as a TRK-12 required a much larger investment.

ETA Correction: The RR-359 wasn't his, that was a lucky purchase of a friend of his.

Dave,

Kent Warner had an extensive collection of pre-war sets including most if not all of RCA's models and a pre-war DuMont among others. TV Guide did a two page article w/a photo of KENT posing with his collection back in the 70's. Seeing this article, I looked up Kent in the L.A. phone book, he was listed, and invited him over to see my 120. Kent and I remained good friends until his passing many years ago. I don't recall what happend to his collection. Ed Reitan may be able to shed some light on that. Can't believe it was almost 40 years ago.

-Steve D.

IIRC, I remember reading a sad tale that Kent's mother tossed and/or sold his collection after his death...Apparently, she didn't know/care what the stuff was worth...Being WAY before the Internoot, collectors basically operated in isolation.

I have a book called "A Flick Of The Switch" that has a picture of Kent Warner with part of his collection in it if I remember right. It mentioned he worked in Hollywood. I was all excited later when I saw his name in the credits of The Rockford Files.

Well folks, I wish I had a happy ending to report in this saga. However, the lady was unable to get her sister (the executor of her father's estate) to respond to my offer to purchase the set. I don't get the feeling that this was a monetary decision, but rather an emotional one. I've not been able to speak with the sister, but it's my impression that she just doesn't want to let it go right now. The last time I spoke with the woman who was storing the set in her garage, I had 15 crisp Benjamins in my wallet and was ready to begin laying them down. However she told me that she could not lawfully sell it to me. That was only for her sister to decide who was not responsive to offers. She, and the TV, have now moved to their new home which just a few miles away. She has my phone numbers should the TV become available. I've not given up, but it's just a bit further from my grasp now.

Dave

They have your number and they know you're interested. I would just hold onto my Benjamins and be patient. Settling an estate can be a very emotional thing, and it's stressful under the best of circumstances. Pressing them further at this stage might just annoy them.

Phil Nelson

I have a book called "A Flick Of The Switch" that has a picture of Kent Warner with part of his collection in it if I remember right. It mentioned he worked in Hollywood. I was all excited later when I saw his name in the credits of The Rockford Files.

Chris,

I have that book, "A Flick of the Switch 1930-1950" 1st edition 2nd printing 1976. While the author shows several collectors, I don't see Kent Warner in my copy. Perhaps you have a later edition.
Kent worked freelance as the costume designer on many shows at various studios.

And Dave, sorry you weren't able to close the deal on the TRK 90. At least you know where it is and hopefully your patience will be rewarded.

-Steve D.

Steve-

My copy is the same edition, and you are right, there is no picture of Kent Warner. I think I was confused with maybe an article about him in a TV Guide in the late 70's.

They have your number and they know you're interested. I would just hold onto my Benjamins and be patient. Settling an estate can be a very emotional thing, and it's stressful under the best of circumstances. Pressing them further at this stage might just annoy them.
That was my feeling as well. I truly did not push the issue with her upon learning her sister's feelings and position. As you say, they have my number and I know where it is. As we have been neighbors for several years (I've been here since '94), I will check-in on occasion just to see how the new digs are working out and keep me in her memory. My wife and I are very good friends with the owners of the house and I did provide a far bit of help when she first moved in and was having problems. I was (and usually am) the first to walk over and welcome her to the neighborhood and offer any help I could. I remember when we bought this house how nice it felt to have our new, next-door neighbor come by on our first evening with coffee and an offer of help.

Dave

Well, she just stopped by my house. She was looking for bug-spray as she's still working at the house across the street before the owners get home. I'm happy she thought of us first! No, I didn't mention the TV.

Dave

You are taking just the right steps, I feel. Make it clear, every once in a while, that you are dead serious about it and that you will take the TV at a moments notice if they so choose. I've seen things sold to somebody else or junked and when asked later the owner said, "Oh, I never knew you were serious!" or just "I forgot, and this guy seemed pretty interested." The most important thing, I feel, is to keep this from being turned into landfill. If nothing else, maybe they can will it to a museum. That won't buy you a Fisher, though!

I wish you wuz MY neighbor...(grin)

I just wanted to thank everyone here on VK for their insight, knowledge and guidance throughout this little adventure. I just knew, through my years on AudioKarma, that this was the right place to come with my questions. I am truly not surprised to find folks here as passionate about this Forum's topics as we are over on AK. Thank you for your welcoming and helpful responses. I will, of course, revive this thread should anything ever come to fruition regarding the TRK-12 and myself. For now, I'm back to bury myself in the goings-on back at AudioKarma. I have some Kenwood LS-X9 speakers (never imported to this country, 52,000 yen ea. in '89) that I'm getting ready to dive into for a recap. If anyone reads Japanese, I'd appreciate any help beyond what Google translation provides.

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=170990&d=1309805403

Happy 4th!
Dave

52K yen ? Aw, hell, that's only about $5.73 American....(grin)

Yeah I know, 52K yen really means nothing. In today's (admittedly crappy) dollars, that equates to roughly $1300/pr. Last I looked it up, that was ~$2100 in 1989. Fairly spendy speakers for the time.

Dave

2015 addition to this 2007 post.
There were several mentions of the late vintage tv collector Kent Warner in this post and the article about his collection in a 1977 issue of TV Guide. Here is a photo of Kent & his collection as seen in that article. Also a photo of my TRK-120 whose story I told in this post.

-Steve D.

Thanks for posting the pictures, Steve. I am sure that is the one of Kent and his collection that I saw. Your TRK-120 looks nice.

2015 addition to this 2007 post.
There were several mentions of the late vintage tv collector Kent Warner in this post and the article about his collection in a 1977 issue of TV Guide. Here is a photo of Kent & his collection as seen in that article. Also a photo of my TRK-120 whose story I told in this post.

-Steve D.

Thanks for the photos. I can't quite make out the print in the TV guide picture...maybe I'm getting old :tears:.

Thanks for the photos. I can't quite make out the print in the TV guide picture...maybe I'm getting old :tears:.

John,

I apologize for the text resolution. My scanner was at fault. I photographed the text which should be easier to read.

-Steve D.

There are a few sets there that I wouldn't mind forking over $2,700 for :deal:

John,

I apologize for the text resolution. My scanner was at fault. I photographed the text which should be easier to read.

-Steve D.
Many thanks for posting that information. I think everyone was thinking of the photo of Charles A. Seidel and his amazing 7" TV collection in the Flick Of The Switch.
Kent Warner indirectly sparked my interest in vintage TV's way back around 1980 when I was 13. He had a short article about TV collecting in a book simply called "TV Book" by Judy Fireman from 1977 (http://www.amazon.com/TV-Book-The-Ultimate-Television/dp/0894800027), which is in my book collection now. It features his TRK-12, which he mentions that he recently purchased, his 3" Pilot that he "rescued from a junk-pile", and his RCA 621TS. I instantly became fascinated, but back then you really didn't see the early sets turning-up anywhere, so I began collecting radios. I did eventually end-up with the Pilot and RCA 621 though!
Sorry to hear Kent passed years ago. I would have loved to see some good photo's of his collection.
Joe

Many thanks for posting that information. I think everyone was thinking of the photo of Charles A. Seidel and his amazing 7" TV collection in the Flick Of The Switch.
Kent Warner indirectly sparked my interest in vintage TV's way back around 1980 when I was 13. He had a short article about TV collecting in a book simply called "TV Book" by Judy Fireman from 1977 (http://www.amazon.com/TV-Book-The-Ultimate-Television/dp/0894800027), which is in my book collection now. It features his TRK-12, which he mentions that he recently purchased, his 3" Pilot that he "rescued from a junk-pile", and his RCA 621TS. I instantly became fascinated, but back then you really didn't see the early sets turning-up anywhere, so I began collecting radios. I did eventually end-up with the Pilot and RCA 621 though!
Sorry to hear Kent passed years ago. I would have loved to see some good photo's of his collection.
Joe

John,

I also have both of those books in my collection. Purchased at the time of their publication so many years ago. Included is the iconic photo, you mentioned, of Chuck Seidel w/his "stacked" collection of vintage 7" TV sets from the book "A Flick of the Switch". And a portion of Kent Warner's article from the book "TV Book". These and a few others, including the late Ed Reitan, & Gary Hough are the early pioneers of vintage TV collecting long before the internet. Sorry to say when I visited Kent Warner's home back in the 70's I didn't have a camera w/me. I know of no other photos other than the TV Guide article and TV Book photo.

-Steve D.

John,

I also have both of those books in my collection. Purchased at the time of their publication so many years ago. Included is the iconic photo, you mentioned, of Chuck Seidel w/his "stacked" collection of vintage 7" TV sets from the book "A Flick of the Switch". And a portion of Kent Warner's article from the book "TV Book". These and a few others, including the late Ed Reitan, & Gary Hough are the early pioneers of vintage TV collecting long before the internet. Sorry to say when I visited Kent Warner's home back in the 70's I didn't have a camera w/me. I know of no other photos other than the TV Guide article and TV Book photo.

-Steve D.
Interesting Steve. So great that you got to see Kent's collection. It would be great to scan in the other couple of pages for those interested to see too. Next to the TV Guide piece and the book, I personally can't think of an earlier article on vintage TV collecting. I would also include Dan Gustafson as an early serious TV collector. I have a few pages from Video magazine from the early '80's that mentioned his collection - another interesting piece that first whetted my interest!
Joe

Danny Gustafson, Jack Davis and Arnold Chase were the major early collectors. Here is an article from Popular Mechanics in 1985.

Notice the mention of the UCLA collection at the end of the article. This was surely a refference to Ed Reitan.

Danny's house was full of RCA stuff, as were two condo's he had that were just to store more stuff (no one living in them or any real furniture), and several storage units around Chicago. Here are just a few pictures of his house and one of the condo's.

Here is yet another article on vintage TV collecting from VIDEO Magazine
March, 1985. Scanned as best I can without breaking the binding. Danny is mentioned here as well. UCLA did and still has a collection of vintage TV's apart from Ed Reitan's collection. Both Ed & I had sets there for a while. The collection was not on public display. I did have the pleasure of joining my good friend Ed Reitan and Danny Gustafson for dinner some years ago when Danny visited Los Angeles. Sadly, both have passed. What a wonderful evening of TV talk that was.

-Steve D.

Here is yet another article on vintage TV collecting from VIDEO Magazine
I wonder what happened to the big RCA set mentioned in the corner article about Danny.

What model would that be, and does anyone have pictures of it?

.

I wonder what happened to the big RCA set mentioned in the corner article about Danny.

What model would that be, and does anyone have pictures of it?

.

The set pictured w/Danny is a 1939 RCA Victor TRK-12. Danny's collection was auctioned off and /or sold. Not sure where each item went. I'm sure someone on the forum may have some of this info. I do recall receiving a one sheet flyer
of the main receivers to be disposed of from Danny's collection. I can't locate this flyer. Att. is a photo of an RCA TRK-12. They all looked alike.

-Steve D.

Here is yet another article on vintage TV collecting from VIDEO Magazine.....

-Steve D.
That was the article I had mentioned from Video magazine! I had ripped out just the article and didn't know exactly what year in the '80's it was from. Thanks for scanning for everyone to see. I remember back then that there's was often articles on vintage TV's or radios, so I would always thumb through all the all new electronic magazines!
I also want to say the articles and pics are great! The mirror-in-the-lid GE is a particular rare and classy art-deco piece.

...