Zenith Flashmatic control on the bay

[bandersen]

I'd never seen a closeup of one of these before. That's pretty sweet

http://cgi.ebay.com/1955-Zenith-Flas...-/360275584149

(No affiliation)

[Jeffhs]

The Flash-Matic remote control system was Zenith's first attempt at wireless remote control for its television sets. It worked, but it had problems, not the least of which was that if stray ambient light struck two or more of the photocells at each corner of the CRT simultaneously, the television would go crazy. This is very likely why the Flash-Matic only lasted one model year (1955, IIRC), then was taken off the market and replaced, in 1956 or so, by the ultrasonic Space Command remote system.

I think the little "ray gun" device being offered for auction on eBay is cute, but in reality, any ordinary, common household flashlight would operate Flash-Matic televisions just as well in an emergency, especially if the flashlight had a small, squarish-shaped "flash" button just above the main switch. Set the latter to "flash" and use the flash button to pulse the beam on and off as needed. I wonder how many people who did not know this felt their remote TV didn't work anymore if anything happened to the controller (dead battery, burned-out bulb, etc).

[Ray Sieracki]

Well another flashmatic control is gone. Looks like it sold for $385.00
I often heard that the remote is harder to find and buy then the set. Not bad for a flashlight. A while back a complete set, with owners manual, and remote went for about $500.00

[bandersen]

Woah! I think I'd go with Jeff's idea of using a flashlight

[Eric H]

This is so depressing, I probably won't ever get a remote for my FM at this rate unless I find one at a clueless Thrift Store.

I paid $10 for my set, who's buying these things anyway? TV collectors, Designers, Art collectors like the Zenith Radio Nurse Crowd??

[Phil Nelson]

A collector of toy ray guns & robots might go wild for one. I call these "crossover" items, attracting more than one type of collector. Examples are my Trophy baseball radio, which appeals to baseball collectors as well as radio nerds, or the figural Charlie McCarthy & Lone Ranger radios. Someone who collects Charlie McCarthy or Lone Ranger items might bid far beyond a set's value as a radio per se.

Phil

[leadlike]

Maybe lock in a search on ebay for Zenith Flashlight-I'm sure most people would think it was a giveaway flashlight for buying Zenith products rather than being a remote control to a tv set. I was fortunate enough to play with one of these recently, and it is a hefty item! Good quality casting and quality brass parts.

[bandersen]

It sold for $380.99

I guess someone got a real steal on this one for only $150! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=300448298427

[DaveWM]

well I know I have to draw the line somewhere, I am sure the guy who got it is pleased, but no way in my book.

[kx250rider]

Collectibles are worth exactly what the highest bidder wants to pay... Someone who isn't a TV collector would have trouble understanding why a person would pay $20,000 for a broken B&W TV, but that happens with prewar sets on eBay now & then. Same reason I might have paid $5000 on eBay for a rusty 1985 Toyota Diesel pickup with a crushed fender and a cracked piston, then spent another $5000 restoring it.

I paid $125 for a fair-condition Flashmatic gun, and seen several sell for the range of this most recent one.

Charles

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by kx250rider

I paid $125 for a fair-condition Flashmatic gun, and seen several sell for the range of this most recent one.

Charles

Over $100 for something that is nothing more than a glorified flashlight? Good grief. As I mentioned in another post to this thread, in a pinch, any cheap flashlight will operate a FlashMatic TV just as well. I wonder how many people were aware of that if/when their FlashMatic controller went bad for any reason. I can't see the sense in paying so much on the used market for something so simple. I realize the FlashMatic was Zenith's first wireless television remote control system, but for the controllers to be priced so high on eBay, et al. over five decades later, IMHO, is crazy.

What was it about the FlashMatic ray-gun controller that was so special, anyway? If this were a mint-condition CT-100 color TV I could see a high opening bid, but since the device in question here is a glorifed flashlight, it makes no sense (IMHO) to pay $100+ for it, at auction or otherwise. Personally, I wouldn't pay more than $5 for one of these things if I had a Flash-Matic set that needed a new remote; in fact, I'd just use a common cheap flashlight and think nothing of it. If the FlashMatic ray-gun controller had gold-plated (not brass) parts and was housed in a 14-karat gold case, then it might be worthy of an insanely high opening bid in an auction, but as it is, the Flash-Matic controller is not worth anywhere near $100, let alone $300 or more as is often seen as an opening bid for these on eBay. Sheeeeeeesh.

I think this is just another case of a seller, not knowing what these things actually are, wanting to get as much money as he or she can from the auction. Things like this happen on eBay (and probably Craigslist as well) all too often these days, and there is little or nothing we can do about it since it is not illegal, by eBay's rules or otherwise.

[Adam]

I think the price of early remotes is just going up. RCA ctc-10 remotes have been going for around $100 on ebay. The Zenith ultrasonic space-commanders seem common enough that the prices are still pretty low on those, although I've seen some of the earliest ones top $50. Strangely, although not too common, Philco mystery-controllers are still pretty cheap.

Early remote sets are some of my favorite to collect, and I do try to get the correct remote for each unit. Now I have with remotes:

1939 Philco 39-116 mystery-controller
1960 RCA ctc-10 console remote
1960 Zenith 17" metal SC300
1961 Zenith 23" console SC300
1963 Zenith 19" metal SC300
1965 Zenith color console SC400
1966 Zenith 19" metal SC300
1974 Zenith Avanti SC600

The Flashmatic is one of the Zenith remote sets I don't have.

[andy]

It's all about having the correct original remote, not about having something that will work. Remote sets are very rare. I've never even seen a remote tube set in person. I do have a few remotes waiting for sets though...

[bgadow]

My Flash-Matic came with the remote, thank goodness! I don't think my wife would let me sell it, though if money got tight enough...nice too know they hold value!

(I lucked out on mine; a guy who owed me a favor found this at auction and bought it for me, wouldn't tell me what he paid)