What Model Is This Set Please?

[kvflyer]

I came across some B/W photos of my family recently. I remember my uncle worked on televisions and was a Ham Operator (W3SRF I think?). Uncle Bros had this set and was tinkering with it all of the time. But he had color way before any of us. The set has legs; it is not a floor model.

My cousin Janet is very proud of her bike.

[Big Dave]

CTC4 or 5

[DavGoodlin]

The Alliance U-100 rotator control is on top. A common sight in the good old days of antennas.

My grandma had a TV like that, it was a CTC-5 "special model" with a gold-metal stand.

[kvflyer]

Thanks for the information! An update; I sent the picture to my cousin, the sister of Billy and she said that it is her in the picture. OOPS!!!

Anyway, the story about the Honda Elsinor etc. is still valid...

[miniman82]

CTC-5, the metal trim holding the safety glass in is a dead giveaway. Not sure which model though, possibly the Aldrich on a stand?

http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Galler...c5_Aldrich.gif

Yet another set with a mask having the word 'COLOR' imprinted on it, only the second one I've seen. Did we determine this was a feature of later production CTC-5's? My Wingate does not have a mask with 'COLOR' on it, where later sets using glass tubes did.

[Steve D.]

I notice the handle bars on that bike are awfully close to the safety glass on that CTC-5. My Wingate CTC-5 does not have the word "color" on the safety glass as well. I think you're correct that RCA added the "color" decal to the safety glass as a running production change in later CTC-5 models. However I do see the "color" decal only on the "Lockhaven" CTC-5 model pictured on Ed Retian's site: http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Galler...Lockhaven.html

A different catalog picture of the CTC-5 models on my site also only has the "Lockhaven" model with the "color" decal on the safety glass: http://community.webtv.net/stevetek/.../mailedD14.jpg

-Steve D.

[miniman82]

Looks like only the 'Super' models got it, I don't see any 'Deluxe' versions with 'COLOR' on the glass.

[kvflyer]

Here is an "enhanced" version of the set. The original isn't all that great.

[kx250rider]

Definitely a 5, and I agree based on what I can see, it's the "special" table model. That was, if I'm correct, the first color set under $500 ($499.99).

Charles

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by kx250rider

Definitely a 5, and I agree based on what I can see, it's the "special" table model. That was, if I'm correct, the first color set under $500 ($499.99).

Charles

Charles,

You were 100% correct until the last number. I'm going to really nit-pick here. The "Aldrich" "Special" model retailed for $495.00. The UHF model was a bit higher. Many dealers sold them at discounted prices or offered a generous trade in for your B&W set. The profit margin was small. RCA actually lost money on every color set they made in these early years. The CTC-5 as a model run was one of the better selling color receivers in the '50's due to RCA's heavy advertising promotion of the sets and the wide choice of models in 1956-57.

-Steve D.

[kvflyer]

Thanks for the info guys! I think that set is long gone, many decades ago. Sad...

[miniman82]

Originally Posted by Steve D.

The CTC-5 as a model run was one of the better selling color receivers in the '50's due to RCA's heavy advertising promotion

Too bad it's such a lack-luster performer in the brightness department, if I were a customer back then I'd much rather have an 'old' CTC-4. 'New' does not always mean 'better'.

[kx250rider]

Originally Posted by Steve D.

Charles,

You were 100% correct until the last number. I'm going to really nit-pick here. The "Aldrich" "Special" model retailed for $495.00. The UHF model was a bit higher.
-Steve D.

.........But what about the $4.99 Sarnoff Worship Fund fee; charged with all RCA purchases at the time? (I'm just being a smart a**)

Thanks for clarifying, as I'm particular about that stuff too.

Charles

[kvflyer]

Many, many years ago, I remember seeing this "roundie" displaying Bonanza. My dad didn't have the money to buy one and of course, he didn't work on televisions as much as Uncle Bros. Kinda neat to see this picture again...

[NewVista]

Is that legs? Weren't Aldrich's Tabletop ?
Did Aldrich's have word COLOR on them?
This example I had didn't