Someone sent me pics of this TV today.... What is this thing? The TV channel selector reminds me of a pushbutton Hallicrafters. No name anywhere on the unit, except for the dial glass, which says Telfair Graeme - manufactured for G&E Loit. Looks like a 7JP4 and a late 40s era tube lineup.

No idea of operating condition. Any ideas?

it looks like a hallicrafters chassis , een the knobs are the hallicrafters type, a 7jp4 too , go for it , certainly unique , the speaker is so much bigger then the picture.

I'm going to guess that it's someones home brewed project, the way the chassis are mounted doesn't look like a professional job, plus the spliced in wiring to the CRT socket and the lack of any lettering around the TV controls all say home made.

That's definitely a Hallicrafters TV chassis.

Yes, it's a Franken-TV. Hallicrafters 505/T-54 TV chassis mounted sideways and using extended cables. The CRT is mounted on a piece of wood. The TV is combined with some other radio. Definitely not factory, although the audio may be better than stock with that big speaker.

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

The chassis in the bottom of the cabinet doesn't seem to be hooked up to anything, I suspect it was the power supply chassis for whatever was originally in the cabinet.

:thmbsp: One of the better looking frankensets I've seen . Weird how that unhooked bottom chassis looks to have a cord wrapped around it , leading me to wonder if it's even bolted in there , or was just thrown in there cause "It looks like more TV parts , maybe it goes with this here old TV we found" (presumably the folks selling this don't have a clue about old TVs , it looks like a yard sale may be going on in some of the pictures)

Actually, I think it's pretty cool looking. I like the small screen centered in the middle of the big cabinet. It gives it a "pre-war" look.

Be aware of this: A friend has that exact cabinet with an genuine factory "Philharmonic" TV/radio/phono. installed. It's entirely original and does not appear to be a "franken-set". It uses a 7" Tele-tone chassis. This set in question could have had alterations, but it very likely was a genuine "orphan" budget combination TV console in it's day with chassis used from different sources. Very cool piece that would be worth restoring in the configuration it is.

This looks like a philharmonic cabinet to me too. Like many other companys in those days they used chassis made by other companys. HALLICRAFTERS, SENTINEL and TELE-TONE were the common ones.

I have an IIRC Jensen speaker that looks identical to the one in that set.

The chassis in the bottom of the cabinet doesn't seem to be hooked up to anything, I suspect it was the power supply chassis for whatever was originally in the cabinet.

I agree. There is a socket on the back of the power supply chassis into which a mating multipin connector, at the end of a multiconductor cable, would be inserted, with an AC outlet next to that socket. This could have been a power chassis for an amplifier or a radio tuner; hard to tell just by looking at the thing. The entire setup indeed looks like a cobbled-together TV-radio combo, with the aforementioned power supply just left in the bottom of the cabinet for no particular reason.

I agree. There is a socket on the back of the power supply chassis into which a mating multipin connector, at the end of a multiconductor cable, would be inserted, with an AC outlet next to that socket. This could have been a power chassis for an amplifier or a radio tuner; hard to tell just by looking at the thing. The entire setup indeed looks like a cobbled-together TV-radio combo, with the aforementioned power supply just left in the bottom of the cabinet for no particular reason.

Another possibility: There *is* a similar sized Jones multipin plug on the radio chassis connected to a drooping wire... perhaps the other end of the wire should be plugged into the bottom chassis? I don't see an obvious AC power cord attached to the radio chassis. The AC outlet on the bottom chassis would seem to be in a good location for supplying power to the TV...note the TV cord unplugged, just a few inches away. My guess is that the bottom chassis *is* a part of the combo, but has been unplugged (perhaps for testing?) and is now "loose" in the bottom of the set. Just a WAG, however.

jr

German radio? Loit is north of Hamburg, near the border with Denmark.

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I think the set looks cool and would be fun to get working again.

An amazing radio match for the space given in the cabinet. And the CRT has a lot of connections to a base that looks like a Brit tube with the outside leaf contacts...not pins. Does it match the 7JP4 wire count? Don't have mine open tonight. The power supply also seems to have a voltage tap switch on it.

The CRT is almost certainly a 7JP4, the socket and metal bracket are stock Hallicrafters, relocated from the chassis to the wood spacer.

The socket is slightly different than this one on my set, having an open end and slots around the outside edge so the wires could come out the sides in a different application, if it was edge connectors they would be shorted against the metal bracket.

Fascinating. I'm going to try to get this set. The seller originally contacted me with an interest in selling it (he definitely didn't want it restored.) He said he "wasn't sure of a price" but that it would be "less than $300."

Well, I just paid my taxes so I told him I am definitely interested and we could work a deal, but it would be a few weeks. He's trying to pass the buck to his wife by stating "she's not sure if she wants to sell it or not".... Of course they want a fair price for it, and don't want to be taken advantage of which is perfectly understandable, plus he repeated that they really need to make space... so I see the 'wife' statement as more of an implication that they don't want a low ball offer.

We'll see what happens. It's absolutely gorgeous.

The 8 seperate doors on the cabinet is interesting :D

I'd be hesitant to give anything for it unless i was sure it wasn't some cobbled together frankenset.

You might try posting the cabinet photos over at the Antique Radio Forum (http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/index.php) and see if anyone can identify it as a radio/phono before making an offer.

The cabinet looks similar to some Capehart models but I couldn't find an exact match.

I had those legs pegged as Capehart too, but Farnsworth wouldn't have used such a chincy tuner. They look identical to those on a 413N I used to have with the flip-over changer.

I'm hearing from a few people now that they think it is a Philharmonic.

Just posted on ARF with several more high res pics.

Something else I notice is that there are vents in the top of the cabinet on both sides; one for the radio and one for the TV chassis; if this cabinet was repurposed, what were the vents over the TV chassis originally for?

I think this was repurposed from something else. You can see in the CRT space that there are four mounting holes for a much larger chassis. The Hallicrafters chassis is also a little big as well. I'm also curious about what that pull out shelf above the CRT is for. Still, in any form, 7" consoles are cool.

Anybody ever hear of this Telfair radio brand? Sounds European, but even the cheapest euro sets always seem to be multi band radios, not just BC AM.

I'd be hesitant to give anything for it unless i was sure it wasn't some cobbled together frankenset.

You might try posting the cabinet photos over at the Antique Radio Forum (http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/index.php) and see if anyone can identify it as a radio/phono before making an offer.

The cabinet looks similar to some Capehart models but I couldn't find an exact match.
I must say again that a friend has that same cabinet, granted labeled Philharmonic with a Tele-Tone 7" TV installed, but his is definitely not cobbled together. It seems to me this cabinet may have been used in several different configurations as a low-budget TV combo in it's day.
Joe

Be aware of this: A friend has that exact cabinet with an genuine factory "Philharmonic" TV/radio/phono. installed. It's entirely original and does not appear to be a "franken-set". It uses a 7" Tele-tone chassis.

Interesting! I keep thinking that a phono should go where the CRT is. Where does your friend's matching cabinet place the record player? I can assume that this set once had a phonograph, as why else would it have a record drawer?

One thing that makes me think this is a replacement TV chassis, is the right outside cabinet door is in two pieces. The left outside door in front of the TV chassis looks like it originally had been in two pieces and at some point someone joined them together to create a full door over the TV chassis.

The dual chassis 7 inch Tele-tone chassis would easily fit in the top half of that cabinet, with the Teletone power chassis with the speaker. This would leave room for a matching record storage area left of the speaker grill and that would balance the unit.

The TV chassis is an early Hallicrafters as it still has channel one, ie 14 buttons.

James

Interesting! I keep thinking that a phono should go where the CRT is. Where does your friend's matching cabinet place the record player? I can assume that this set once had a phonograph, as why else would it have a record drawer?

One thing that makes me think this is a replacement TV chassis, is the right outside cabinet door is in two pieces. The left outside door in front of the TV chassis looks like it originally had been in two pieces and at some point someone joined them together to create a full door over the TV chassis.

The dual chassis 7 inch Tele-tone chassis would easily fit in the top half of that cabinet, with the Teletone power chassis with the speaker. This would leave room for a matching record storage area left of the speaker grill and that would balance the unit.

The TV chassis is an early Hallicrafters as it still has channel one, ie 14 buttons.

James
My friends set has a rather goofy configuration with the phono under the TV. It cuts the speaker grill in half, and you have to look at this rather unattractive phono drawer. I believe the left side areas are all record storage. The Tele-Tone chassis does fit perfect in the center panel, but I actually like the Hallicrafters porthole screen alone in the center with the pushbuttons to the left - and without the phono. Very primitive looking. It really looks pre-war!

I may not know what it is, but I know I like it! Big cabinet small CRT :banana:.

My friends set has a rather goofy configuration with the phono under the TV. It cuts the speaker grill in half, and you have to look at this rather unattractive phono drawer. I believe the left side areas are all record storage. The Tele-Tone chassis does fit perfect in the center panel, but I actually like the Hallicrafters porthole screen alone in the center with the pushbuttons to the left - and without the phono. Very primitive looking. It really looks pre-war!

Can you post pictures?

Here is a link to a photo of what a Philharmonic radio television looks like on Radiolaguys site. One very similar to this one sold on eBay years ago. I would follow Eric's suggestion to check it out before paying too much.

http://www.radiolaguy.com/images/TVs/PhilharmonicTVcombo.jpg

Wow, that Philharmonic is quite a collectable. The cabinet, for a post war set, really looks dated. Thanks for posting the photo link.

-Steve D.

Steve, the set you posted I have no problem believing is a factory made unit, everything is in proportion and there are decals for all the controls.

I just can't believe any manufacturer would have used a Hallicrafter chassis mounted sideways, it just looks wrong, plus the lack of decals and angle brackets holding the chassis in place just confirms the point.

If the first set's a home brew then it was done a long time ago.

Steve, the set you posted I have no problem believing is a factory made unit, everything is in proportion and there are decals for all the controls.

I just can't believe any manufacturer would have used a Hallicrafter chassis mounted sideways, it just looks wrong, plus the lack of decals and angle brackets holding the chassis in place just confirms the point.

If the first set's a home brew then it was done a long time ago.

I could't agree more w/your comments.

-Steve D.

Here is a link to a photo of what a Philharmonic radio television looks like on Radiolaguys site. One very similar to this one sold on eBay years ago. I would follow Eric's suggestion to check it out before paying too much.

http://www.radiolaguy.com/images/TVs/PhilharmonicTVcombo.jpg\
My friends Philharmonic is not like this set from Radiolaguy, but exactly like the console here in question. It does have that Tele-Tone TV panel, but it's centered of course. The radio is vertically mounted on the right.
BTW, it will be difficult to get a picture of my friends set, but I'll see what I can do.

maybe its a custom job , i'e seen a couple custom made sets , mostly made with rca chassis but this could be an exception , just a guess

I believe this is the Television to which Joe is referring. The cabinet certainly appears to be very close, if not identical, but they certainly aren't the same set.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/13869850385_033d33b499.jpg[