A roster of RCA CTC-4 color receivers is being compiled for Steve McVoy's Early Television Museum (ETF) "Early color receivers" page. I believe there are several collectors/forum members who own this model. A brief post here on the AK Forum with model#. A picture, if possible, would also be appreciated. There were 5 models offered. Check out the model lineup courtesy of Ed Reitan's Color TV History site.

CTC-4sets300.gif
Address:http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Gallery/images/CTC4/CTC-4sets300.gif

Detailed model info: CTC-4 Series

Seville 21-CT-661UMahogany / Blonde,
Director 21-CT-662UMahogany / Blonde,
Haviland 21-CT-660UMahogany / Blonde
Cheltenham 21-CT-663UMahogany / Birch
Gainsborough 21-CT-664UMaple / Walnut

Again, this is a request for RCA CTC-4 models only at this time.

Thanks,
-Steve D.

I've got one in working order, no picture for the moment but can have one later
model is Seville 21-CT-661UMahogany. the set is in Italy

I've got one
http://www.pakratz.com/ctc4.html
The Seville
Paid $100 for it.
Haven't restored it.
Fred

Steve D,

I have the Cheltenham 21 (cTC4B) in good working order.

Wish I had one...****mournful sigh****-Sandy G.

BTW Steve D, This set is already in the McVoy/Reitan database.

Is the CTC-4 the chassis that uses that big HV interlock plug? Or was that the 5? I've heard of but never seen a set with it - My 7 sure doesn't have one and I don't think the 9 did either.

I've got one in working order, no picture for the moment but can have one later
model is Seville 21-CT-661UMahogany. the set is in Italy

Hello Avalon! I'm an italian tv collector too! I live in Florence.Could you tell me if there are places in our country where to find early american televisions like the one you mention? I own a ct 100 rca victor I bought in the states. I got to several vintage fairs but no luck at all with such things,only pieces of junk sold at gold prices!

Thanks to all for responding and making this list of early color sets complete. You can contact me to let me know of surviving color sets at ereitan@novia.net

The McVoy/Reitan list is meant to cover the first NTSC Field Test sets (if any are found), 16" metal crt prototypes, 15GP22 sets, 19" sets, the first 21" set by each manufacturer using a 21AXP22, and the few 22" Rectangular color sets. I have identified what was built, and are looking for you to say what you know is still surviving.

Yes, before you comment, we know the 21CT55 was RCA's first 21" set - but it was made in small quantities. Really the CTC4 was, as Steve Dichter has said, "RCA's first major marketing of a line of color receivers."

I have a CTC4A, 21CT662U, Director 21 (in mahogany) which is operational and a Hallicrafters 21CK801 (in mahogany). The Hallicrafters used their cabinet to house an early RCA CTC4 chassis. I bought that Hallicrafters as a 15 year old using my paper route monies and would spend hours (over a hot chassis) trying to converge it.

I previously had a Seville (thrown out years ago by my Fraternity brothers at UCLA). Recently, the only other known surviving Hallicrafters 21 was destroyed in a fire.

Ed Reitan

Ed Reitan's Color Television History Web Site is at:
http://www.novia.net/~ereitan

nasadowsk,

The CTC4 is the chassis with the funky HV interlock. Pull the teflon plug out, and the HV output is shorted to ground. Of course, if you power up the set with the interlock plug pulled out, bad things happen!

I talked to the man making the CTC 4 Flybacks and he owned a CTC 4. It was a blonde table top model. That was his motivation for making the flybacks.

I now own his beautiful CTC 9.


polaraman

I shoulda pointed out why I was asking - someone was selling a degauss coil on fleabay with an HV interlock cheater. Never saw one before. Was the '4 the only set that used the interlock plug?

I talked to the man making the CTC 4 Flybacks and he owned a CTC 4. It was a blonde table top model. That was his motivation for making the flybacks.

I now own his beautiful CTC 9.


polaraman


How is he coming along making the CTC-4 flybacks? It seemed his work has improved some based on someone I corresponded with who got one of his flybacks. Unfortunately, that person hasn't gotten back with me as to whether or not he got around to trying it (and if it worked).

Did I follow you right that you bought that CTC-9 off him?



Joe

I wish I had a CTC 4 to try out one of the flybacks. It seems as though he had a CTC 4 working. I have not heard from him in a little while. I am going to have him look at the CTc 15 flyback. Supplies of those flybacks seem to be drying up.


I bought his CTC 9 that was in storage here in Georgia. He was waiting for a moving company to pick it up and move to California. He found a CTC 5 that he liked better. I gave him money for the CTC 9 and he bought the CTC 5. The CTC 9 I bought was a beautiful set. Good 21CYP22 and all.



polaraman

Absolutely right, Joe, I still did not try the flyback.Lack of time nothing esle. Will get my act together eventually

Dragging this up from the depths...

Any updates?

I found a 21-ct-662U (Mahogany) in Indianapolis recently, CTC-4A chassis.

I have a Seville that was just turned off after an evening of Christmas program watching. The cabinet is poor, but the chassis and CRT are in very good condition. I "restored" it over about 7 months and it provides good pics of technicolor films, and live sports, and some other programs as well. A fun set to watch! Registered with ETF, but not by name.
Kevin

I have a DuMont in early american style. I put it together as a 16 year old in 1967. When I went into the Army I "loaned" it to a friend who did not take care of it and stuffed it into his basement. I rescued it again and still have it.

My old CTC4 Haviland that Bob Galanter now owns is in the database, the one I have now I'm not sure. It's a 1955 CTC4 Director 21 in Mahogany.

I believe a member we know here in Northern California has a Dierctor 21, up in Santa Rosa. Beautiful set and operational.

How much is a good working ctc-4 worth today?

With the correct CRT, around $1,200. Assuming the cabinet is in good shape.

Wish I had one...****mournful sigh****-Sandy G.

im with you, wish i had one also ,i never get the tv's im wanting wah :tears:

There is no "official" price guide on these sets and to set a price on one is foolish as they are still being found at yard and estate sales for around $150 or less when you get lucky. OR at auctions at whatever the public will bear. And at the auction, this depends on how bad you want one. I paid $600 for a nice blond one at the ETF auction 1 year ago. RCA made a lot of them and by percentage they are still being found in the wild.

$1,200 is what the last one went for on Ebay, hence my post. The only reason you'd get one cheaper is if the seller didn't know what he had, which is how I got mine at an estate sale for $125.

I've got a rough legless Seville that I got from Nick. There is a thread on it's restoration here which is currently stalled due to other priorities.

A legless Seville is a Haviland, the first color tabletop set.

A legless Seville is a Haviland, the first color tabletop set.

The Seville has trim that juts out from the edges on the front, but the Haviland is a perfectly square box that lacks that trim. Even the ETF has made the mistake you just did with a set identical to mine(albeit in better shape), but both period RCA advertising and a comparison of some photos of ACTUAL Havilands and sevilles in collector hands proves this out. If some links I found back in December are still good I can photographically prove this.

Just curious, what is the model number of your set? Is it 21-CT-660U or 21-CT-661U? I sold my Haviland (21-CT-660U) a few years ago and now have a Director 21 so I really didn't pay close attention to that trim.

I know of at least 3 of them in CA, not in the database. Two in Beverly Hills, and one in Encino. One is a parts set (provincial blond cabinet) ; the other two are working 21CT662U's.

Just curious, what is the model number of your set? Is it 21-CT-660U or 21-CT-661U? I sold my Haviland (21-CT-660U) a few years ago and now have a Director 21 so I really didn't pay close attention to that trim.

Mine was(and still is) missing the back so I can't confirm the model number that resided there..... As for the cabinet differences between them the following three links should illustrate it. http://earlytelevision.org/rca_ctc4_ad.html
http://www.pakratz.com/ctc4.html
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=415770331279&set=a.415769891279.210760.375152766279&type=1
The difference is clear with a bit of careful scrutiny....

And here is what I think is a mistake on the ETFs part.
http://www.earlytelevision.org/rca_ctc4_haviland.html
It has the Seville style trim but no legs. They label it a Haviland. Which is either a wrong assumption based on the lack of legs, or perhaps I'm wrong and RCA left the legs off of some Sevilles and labeled them Havilands to cut costs or fill quota......

Tom,

You are quite correct. The "Haviland 21" model was RCA's entry level model and first color table model. It was basically a plain rectangular cabinet w/o any added wood trim detail to keep manufacturing costs to a minimum and meet RCA's price point to the cost conscious consumer. The chassis was exactly the same as all other CTC-4 models. Your "Seville 21" model was the next step up in price and provided a more attractive cabinet with the addition of the picture frame type trim moulding around the front edges of the cabinet along w/a supporting stand w/legs. The ETF did mis-identify their CTC-4 as a "Haviland 21" model simply because the stand was removed at one time. I've seen the set many times and never noticed the error. Thanks for the correction. I'm sure Steve McVoy will make the change when he becomes aware of the error.

-Steve D.

Have an unrestored Seville in Knoxville. CRT tests good. This thread is likely the stimulus to get off my doofus and restore the set.

BTW, there was/is one for sale on the ETF's classifeds along with several B&W sets. Located in Waterloo Iowa. He said they have a TV recycling day in April. Hope he didn't send it to the trash pickup. That would be a shame.

Well, if the dildo wasn't so dead set on selling them all as a group, he might well have sold that 4 a long time ago. As it stands, not many of us have that kind of space, or even want such undesireable sets.

That's true but I suppose you could give the others away or part them out. I'm sure it's gone already to the e-waste.

Sorry, but not willing, nor do I have the time to deal with rubbish sets purely to rescue one stray. I wish it were otherwise, but the simple fact is that I have driven many hundreds of miles for the sets i already have. I can't continue to do so, it's getting to the point of being just like my auto hobby- a giant sinkhole, and my better half will only tolerate so many TV's in the house....

Sorry miniman82, I was not necessarily suggesting thet you yourself go get it. The comment was meant for anyone. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Ah, I understand. But I suspect that a lot of people are in the same boat, so it would be understandable if others were as apprehensive as I am about picking all those sets up only to keep one.

Yeah, I would only want the CTC4. I dont care about the rest either.

If I were closer, I'd rent a U-Haul pick em up and dump all but the 4 in the nearest dumpsters lol :) Depending on what he wants for the whole lot, I don't know.