Sears Color TV 15gp22 clone - Page 2 - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Steve D. · #16 08-08-2006, 01:52 AM

John,

Thanks for supplying the photos of the 15" Sears-Silvertone color set. I might be wrong here, but it seems hard to imagine that Sears,not a manufacturer of tv sets, invested the money to design and build a unique color chassis for a pilot run. As you mention, it is not a CT-100 clone, nor is it a Sparton, Stromberg-Carlson or Westinghouse clone. Certainly, several other companies produced 15" color receivers in early '54. So John, perhaps you, Steve McVoy or Ed Reitan can determine who built and supplied this chassis to Sears.

Thanks,

Steve D.

kx250rider · #17 08-08-2006, 01:58 AM

Wouldn't it have been Warwick?

Charles

Steve D. · #18 08-08-2006, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaye-Halbert TV

Wouldn't it have been Warwick?

Charles

Warwick did supply b&w tv chassis to private label sellers including Sears. But again, whould either Sears or Warwick make the groundup investment in color that early for so few sets? Perhaps Warwick with some Sears backing did build a color chassis to gain experience in color design. Arvin, who also, supplied b&w sets that were Sears-Silvertone branded, also produced a 15" color chassis in 1954. Model 15-550KB. So perhaps Arvin supplied a few to Sears.

-Steve D.

John Folsom · #19 08-08-2006, 09:55 AM

Steve D,

The Sears 15" set was built by Warreck Mfg (spelling?), who built sets for Sears. Here is a photo of the power supply chassis.

The set has a paper label with model number (model 4160), and I have a full set of schematics for the set, and a setup/adjustment/allignment instructions. The set even has one of the metal labels on the back of the chassis with a number stamped on it and instructions to refer to the number in all correspondences with Sears.

This would lead one to think that Sears did build this set with the intent to sell it to the public, and integrate it into their service organization. I expect that Sears, like many other manufactures who fielded 15" sets, realized quickly that color TV was not going to blossom into a money maker, and retreated from the color TV marketplace for some years until conditions improved.

Steve D. · #20 08-08-2006, 11:17 AM

Thanks John for confirming that Warwick did indeed supply the color chassis to Sears. And a nod to Charles Murray for his quick response mentioning the Warwick connection.

-Steve D.

roundscreen · #21 08-09-2006, 07:41 AM

Hi
I think I would much rather have Mr Folsoms set. That is one cool set.
Did warwick change there name at some point to wells gardner? I have a sears roundie and I thought it was a wells gardner chassis? {I must have thought wrong.}
Here is some info on this sears 16". I picked this set out of the trash in 1985, Replaced some caps and had it in service for two years. The only numbers I can find at this time are the ones in the pictures. I have the back to the set and the sams somewere around here and when I find them I will post the model and serial numbers. I was surprised to hear that this is a rare set.
What is the difference between the black cabinet and this one? {wood cabinet?} The chassis seem to be the same in both. The black set I have has skinny legs that screw in to the bottom of the set or it can be put on a table.
I need to clean and soft start this set as I have not turned it on in many years. When she is up and running I will post some screen shots.
Tom, When I find the sams I can try and take some close up pictures and send them to you. Tim told me that posting them on here is a no no. {Copy rights} I did it for a radio buddy and he could read them.
Ed

polaraman · #22 08-09-2006, 08:47 AM

OK! I see a chassis but what does the cabinet look like!

polaraman

roundscreen · #23 08-09-2006, 09:02 AM

Go to page 1. I posted a picture of it a couple days ago.

old_tv_nut · #24 08-09-2006, 03:34 PM

Warwick did not change their name. Wells-Gardner was another manufacturer.

kx250rider · #25 08-10-2006, 02:17 AM

Off topic here, but since Wells-Gardner came up: Did they, or did the not make the chassis for Sentinel, Airline, and the other "trapezoid" 7" portables from the late 40s? I had a debate with another collector about this a few years ago. They're still in business today, and they make color monitors for video arcade games and security monitors.

Charles

roundscreen · #26 08-10-2006, 06:59 AM

We have alot of w-g monitors in the games at my work and they used alot of the crap zenith crts in the 90s. { I have replaced most of them.} The chassis is not to bad but they do get some weird problems after they have been under hard use for a couple of years. I know I have a 50s b&w set with a w-g chassis in it but the set was made under another name.
Now I am wondering what chassis is in my 60s sears color set. When did warwick stop making tv chassis?
Ed

kx250rider · #27 08-10-2006, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundscreen

Now I am wondering what chassis is in my 60s sears color set. When did warwick stop making tv chassis?
Ed

They made the console Sears sets at least through the end of the tube-type years. The portables (color and B&W) started going Toshiba and Sanyo in the 60s, but there were also portable Warwick color sets at the same time. The newest Warwick I can think of at Sears would be a VERY few solid state Warwicks with modules in the early-mid 70s.

There IS an exception to this: There were a bunch of RCA-built color chasses in Sears TVs in the late 50s-early 60s. But the newest I ever saw was a CTC-12. And I mean a true RCA chassis; not a Warwick copy with the big round shield can on top of the HV cage.

To directly answer your question, I say probably 1973 or 4.

If you put a picture or drawing of your set, I bet I, or someone here, can tell.

Charles

old_tv_nut · #28 08-10-2006, 05:13 PM

see
http://www.tvhistory.tv/1960-2000-TVManufacturers.htm

Steve D. · #29 08-10-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaye-Halbert TV

Off topic here, but since Wells-Gardner came up: Did they, or did the not make the chassis for Sentinel, Airline, and the other "trapezoid" 7" portables from the late 40s? I had a debate with another collector about this a few years ago. They're still in business today, and they make color monitors for video arcade games and security monitors.

Charles

Here's the current Wells Gardner web site:

Company Wells Gardner Electronics Corporation
Address:http://www.wellsgardner.com/company/

-Steve D.

holmesuser01 · #30 08-10-2006, 05:47 PM

I remember the last of the W-G sets at Sears when I worked there. Lots of burned connections under the Hz output tubes, and lots of maintenance agreement replacements due to parts being NLA... 1992-94 with Sears, while things were slow at my TV shop for awhile... Never closed shop, but was open in the evenings.