Hi folks,

some moments ago, a RCA CT-100 was offered for $450 on you-know-where, buy it now for $755, #260577388291. While I still was wondering some seconds, whether this is a fake or not, the set was sold. Never saw such a cheap offer of a nice CT-100.

Kind regards,
Eckhard

Well, I hope the new owner announces himself here.

Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-RCA-Victor-color-TV-television-CT-100_W0QQitemZ260577388291QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item3cab9f6703

Seller says there was some light snow on the screen and that he's seen these go for as much as $900 ??

If he had a working tube he probably hosed himself with the BIN price!

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You fellers ever seen a grown man cry ?!? BWAAAAAAAAH....

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Someone was in the right place at the right time!

how long did the listing last?
15 minutes, give or take. Photos were added at 10:49:19 AM PDT, auction ended at 11:04:09 PDT.

Phil

So, how long did the listing last?

Around 52 minutes according to the bid history page.

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=260577388291


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I'm sure it was a real thing... Seller looks legit, and the photos don't look like any other CT-100 I've seen for sale.

I'm happy for whoever got it, and if they got a good tube, hopefully they'll know about VacuSeal, and will preserve the set well. They might not post about it here, as not everyone will be able to contain their envy. I probably wouldn't post about it; at least not right away. (No it's not me, and I don't know who it is).

Charles

I didn't know of the set before. But I postulate the owner was mislead in its value because he was referring to an old price book.

By coincidence, yesterday I was wasting time in the library between two appointments and riffled through Harry Poster's old book. It values a CT-100 at $500.

Phil Nelson

positive points here is that there are unknown treasures still to be found. And the person who found this one must have hit the reload button a few times just to be sure it was really there.......

I would like to think I would have clicked "Buy It Now" right away, but who knows. Maybe I would have had a heart attack just waiting for the pages to load. Or, I would have hesitated, thinking about shipping details, as if that should even matter with an item like this. Yes, there are still hidden gems to be found.

How many of those were made?

Here's one estimate of the number manufactured.

http://www.earlytelevision.org/rca_ct-100.html

Phil

The traditional estimate of 5000 CT-100 sets produced comes from the original RCA press release issued on the first day of production, March 25, 1954. However, based on my eleven-year quest for CT-100 serial numbers of the approximately 140 known survivors indicates just 4100 sets were produced by RCA, which is far more than any other manufacturer of 15-in. color sets in 1954. RCA had a true full-fledged production line in operation; date code analysis suggests the line was functional until the middle of summer, 1954.

Pete

For some reason, I have the date of end-of-production in my head as 4-13-54. But that would have to be a heck of a speedy line, if they only went into production on 3-25. I have seen a photo of a CT-100, which one of my old customers showed me. It was taken at Christmas of '54, and her husband was able to get a set for their house earlier than the public, as he was a chief engineer at NBC-TV in Los Angeles. It wasn't a Model 5, per the speaker grille. They had a 21" set by Christmas of '55, and got a new RCA color TV every Christmas until he retired in '61, when they got their CTC-11.

Charles

I understand the winning bidder intends to turn it into an aquarium.

I understand the winning bidder intends to turn it into an aquarium.

Trying to rattle our cages... :nono:
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I'm having roast rabbit for Easter dinner. :D

Did someone say cages?

For some reason, I have the date of end-of-production in my head as 4-13-54. But that would have to be a heck of a speedy line, if they only went into production on 3-25. I agree, and I have seen and read the handout that RCA gave to manufacturers who attended the show-and-tell at the start of CT-100 production. It showed that fewer color sets were made than on a typical black-and-white line, so there's no way Bloomington cranked out 4100 CT-100's in so short a time.

Did someone say cages?

Darn! that looks nice... I was thinking that the CT-100 had too small of a screen to make a decent fish tank... hmmmm :scratch2:

jr

Did someone say cages?Jeez Phil, I hope that's Photoshop:scratch2:

Actually, I have a video showing a CT-100 recently stuffed with a solid-state CRT color set. :tears: The guy pulled out the 15GP22 with all its magnetics and mounted the modern CRT behind the safety glass. Great convergence for a Merrill! Not to worry though, the guy proudly left the CTC2 chassis in place. It's all akin to cutting up the Hope Diamond.

hope that's Photoshop
Yes, and the photo's from the auction that started this thread. I assume that's the (now previous) owner crouching behind the set in glamorous sweat pants.

Phil

I didn't know of the set before. But I postulate the owner was mislead in its value because he was referring to an old price book.

Pete,

Did you get the serial number for your CTC2 database?
I emailed the seller, but have'nt received a reply.

Doesn't this thread explain who got the CT-100?

I thought Kalamazoo-DJ was saying he got it?

http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=247444

Yes, and the photo's from the auction that started this thread. I assume that's the (now previous) owner crouching behind the set in glamorous sweat pants.

Phil

...Yass...Undoubtedly. At least we didn't get to see the 10 lbs of "Crack" showing, or the "Wonduh Whut th' Hail all THAT Chit iz fer, Myrtle ?!?" puzzled look on his/her/its face...And yes, I AM a snob...The Great Unwashed neither warrant having, or even should be allowed to keep in most cases such treasures as CT-100s, Philistines that they are...Fishtank, my eye...Hmmmmpf...(Righteously indignant snort here, w/best "Dr Smith-"Just -You-Wait !" look on face...)

Doesn't this thread explain who got the CT-100?

I thought Kalamazoo-DJ was saying he got it?

http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=247444

I guess so.
I really had a hard time deciphering those posts.

I reckon an eighteen hour round-trip from Kalamazoo to Elysburg and back isn't "too far', if there's a $755 CT-100 to be picked up in PA.

KalamazooDJ,
Please add the serial number of your new baby to Pete's CT100 database.

Thanks and congratulations,

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=166705&d=1270077678
Maybe someone aimed a color video camera at a fish tank and that CT100 is displaying the video. :D Nice color.

Doesn't this thread explain who got the CT-100?

I thought Kalamazoo-DJ was saying he got it?

http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=247444

If so, what's the reference to Constantine TV about?

John

Two entirely different sets are being discussed here. I don't know who got the one on eBay for $750, but I do know that Kalamazoo DJ did not get the Constantine set.

Two entirely different sets are being discussed here. I don't know who got the one on eBay for $750, but I do know that Kalamazoo DJ did not get the Constantine set.

The eBay set went to someone with the eBay ID "superskunk".

Anyone recognize him from his picture?

http://myworld.ebay.com/superskunk


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Two entirely different sets are being discussed here. I don't know who got the one on eBay for $750, but I do know that Kalamazoo DJ did not get the Constantine set.
No I do not have have it and it is in SW Mi, near Kalamazoo County / Ottawa County area and it was never registered from my understanding.

If you say it's in SW Mi, how do we get it to SE Wi? :D

If you say it's in SW Mi, how do we get it to SE Wi? :D

Or southcentral Indiana.

Or even Central Michigan. If you get too many leaking 15GP22s in Wisconsin you'll run out of air! :D

John

I have just been in touch with the buyer of this set.
He is located in Virginia and has 40-years of television experience.
I invited him to join the VK forum and to attend the 2010 ETF Convention.
Let’s hope he will accept my invitations.

I have just been in touch with the buyer of this set.
He is located in Virginia and has 40-years of television experience.
I invited him to join the VK forum and to attend the 2010 ETF Convention.
Let’s hope he will accept my invitations.

That's good news!

I had someone try to use Sprint GPS to find where the picture of the Constantine ct-100 was taken but it only showed where I uploaded the picture from. The lengths people go through to have one I guess.

By coincidence, yesterday I was wasting time in the library between two appointments and riffled through Harry Poster's old book. It values a CT-100 at $500.

Yeah, I passed on an "overpriced" working CT-100 back around 1993. A guy wheeled it into a club meeting with a $500 asking price, got NO takers and wheeled it out again.

Me (talking to self): "Who would want an ugly old color set for THAT kind of money?" I passed on a CTC-5 that same year with the same reasoning!



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I am not too active at VideoKarma so I just discovered this thread.

I purchased the CT-100 in question. Yes, there was a certain amount of luck involved, something I have very little experience with. I have pages to write regarding this particular receiver and will post information regarding the purchase and what I discovered once I examined the set if anyone is really interested. The sellers were informed of the value and honored the auction results. I have more to write about this.

If you have the original auction photo's, look at the lower valance; you will see this is the same set but in a much different location.

I picked the set up on 3-31-2010, exactly 56 years, to the day, after its introduction.

That's the real deal, and in very nice, original condition. Congratulations!

I would certainly be interested in reading more about this set and your restoration.

Regards,

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

What a sweet set! I trust you will forever relish this purchase!:thmbsp:

I look forward to your posting your story acquiring and restoring this beauty.

Videokarma is a forum for the exchange technical ideas, not the type of story-telling posted below. Unless there are objections though, I will share some background before discussing the restoration, at least what little has taken place thus far.

I had previously entered “CT-100” on eBay as a search criterion with email notification enabled. As a consequence, soon after the auction began I received an automatic ping from the eBay SMTP servers in San Jose. My first thought was this was probably another auction for a CT-100 schematic or something else of little consequence, but I immediately viewed the auction anyway.

I am stating the obvious here; everyone must have thought exactly the same thing: “what’s with the “Buy-It-Now” option?” I actually sent the seller an email asking if “they would consider holding the set until I could drive up to get it if I won”. While I was waiting for the answer I called “the boss” and asked her if she particularly cared if I purchased a CT-100. “Buy it if you want too, but I do not have the time to drive to Pennsylvania with you to pick it up.” By then, I fully expected my Buy-It-Now execution to come back “auction [already] ended”, but it didn’t. I didn’t pounce on this item; I just gave it some thought and then purchased it.

As a side note, in the summer of 1968, my dad transported two CT-100’s from our home near Washington, D.C. to his mother’s in Kenosha, WI. Regrettably, both of those sets were eventually lost, being discarded as trash, but that is where I started looking for a 100 when I decided to try to locate one. Since I had early exposure to these sets I had a fairly good idea of what I was seeing in the auction. I also remember my father getting one of them to work. One had a bad 15GP22; the other one produced a beautiful picture once repaired.

Although I actually spoke to the seller, the set was listed by a friend with eBay experience. It is the friend that I eventually met when I arrived to retrieve the set. Apparently the original purchaser was the seller’s father who, for years, operated an appliance business in the area. He purchased the television new when it was introduced. After retiring the set was left in his daughter’s custody, eventually being listed on the auction site.

I live in Northern Virginia, so the trip wasn’t that difficult, about 5 hours one way, door-to-door. I was to arrive at the seller’s home at 10AM; I made it at 10:10. The home was 3 miles north of a coal mining community and the sides of the road, and almost everything else, were covered with black coal dust.

The home was modest but quaint, next to a brook with an interesting pet; a skunk. I got the sense the skunk didn’t exactly want the set to go. She didn’t come out for a visit, but hid, stamping her front paws loudly as I spoke to the person helping me load the set. That is the normal warning behavior for Mephitis mephitis (a.k.a., a skunk). This was an insightful skunk for sure.

I was told a number of emails were received after the auction ended informing the seller of the sets potential value. It was their choice to complete the transaction and I did not conceal what I thought the value may be. Further, the person I meet with explained the TV had recently been plugged in and turned on and that the screen lit-up, but no picture was displayed, possibly because of that new “digital thing” the TV stations were doing. I did not attempt to check the set and, as it turns out, that was a good choice for a couple of reasons. The last remaining task this CT-100 performed in the seller’s home was to act as a “TV stand” for a new flat-screen television. It was a function it performed dutifully.

See the attached photo’s of the set being transported back to VA., and its arrival at my garage.

Don't worry, people have told plenty of "how I found it" stories in this forum.

I'll bet that was an interesting drive. My son and I drove my set back from California to Washington, me gritting my teeth every time I spied a pothole up ahead!

It's cool that you have memories of watching another CT-100 back in the day.

Phil Nelson

Videokarma is a forum for the exchange technical ideas, not the type of story-telling posted below. Unless there are objections though, I will share some background before discussing the restoration, at least what little has taken place thus far.

Hi Mark,

I'm glad you accepted the invitation to join the group.
You'll find several CT-100 owners here at the forum.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
I can't wait to see first-light from your restoration.

Phil has a great Web page describing his CT-100 restoration, and I am looking forward to reading more about yours. I hope to proceed before long with work on mine as well. There are some very knowledgeable and helpful people here on Videokarma with CT-100 experience.

Thanks for sharing the story! Reading a tale like that is almost as good as getting the set myself!

CT-100 ... green is the colour I feel right now!!! (Not just any green mind you ..the type of green only 15GP22 can produce) Good luck with the restoration...

The trip home was actually quite smooth with the exception of one bump, and even that one wasn’t too bad. I have been told I did not exercise adequate caution in the manor that I transported the set, but I didn’t have many options. The set was padded, including the bottom, and I took great care not to hit any irregularities in the road surface. The getter remained silver after I arrived home; however, I have not checked its appearance for a year. Life has a way of insuring I will get things done, but they are usually the things I have to get done for survival, not the things I want to get done as a hobbyist.

So, much for the trivia; here’s what I have determined thus far.

Although the seller told me the screen lit up “with a little black at the bottom” (which I interpreted as either insufficient vertical deflection or fold-over), there was another little problem.

In order to see the screen light-up the set obviously had to plugged-in and turned-on. I have no reason to believe the seller had a Variac lying around so the set was hit with normal line voltage. Possibly as a result of this, the on-off switch was badly charred and had either caught on fire or came close too doing so. The damage burned the AC wiring to the switch back two or three inches underneath the chassis. This is why the volume control shield is shown unattached in one of my prior photographs. You can see the brown soot on it. In addition to a damaged power switch, that easy to find and replace volume control……you know the one; 1M with tone response tap at 180K was irreparably damaged as well. (The easy to find statement is a bit of humor) The brightness control is a 2W wire-wound pot and survived without a problem.

Further, just to over-engineer the chassis (to minimize the requirement for service calls I suppose) someone decided to increase the value of the cathode fuse in the Horizontal Output circuit from 450ma to 20 Amps (that’s a twenty). This is not a joke, at least in the context of this narrative. This insured the fuse would never blow. I wonder why the engineers at RCA didn’t think of this?

Finally, someone had cut off the kinescope socket and replaced it. In and of itself, this isn’t too much of a problem except the technique employed was sloppy; the wires were not tailored to the proper length nor were they dressed appropriately. Then they were soldered together and wrapped with black electrical tape. Duct tape would have been fine, but black electrical tape?

I’m fairly competent addressing electronic problems since I have had my hands on and around these things for more than 40 years. A defensible argument could be made that I have 5 years of experience 8 times, but that’s another story. As a consequence of my primary talent, the first order of business was to document and remove the control cluster. Once I did that, I sent it away to Mark Oppat at Old Radio Parts for repair: http://www.oldradioparts.net/

I am deeply indebted to Mark for his expert restoration and repair of the control cluster; he does beautiful work. The installation of the serviced component required a week and a half since I wanted the repair to closely resemble the original manufacturing technique and style. It was worth the effort; I’m happy with how it turned out and that isn’t always the case.

The problem that is befuddling me at the present time is refinishing the lower valance. It seemed like a simple process to just lightly sand off the old finish and then re-stain that cabinet part to enhance the appearance of the set. This has proven to be a frustrating experience though. After 30 or more test stains (on scrap pieces of wood) I am no closer to matching the rest of the cabinet than when I started. My decision now is to just get on with the other problems and not be concerned about the stain at the present time.

My decision now is to just get on with the other problems and not be concerned about the stain at the present time.
Yah, I usually do the electronics first and worry about the cabinet later. Seeing the TV operational inspires me to tackle refinishing, which is less fun for me.

I believe the cabinet (like 95% of all old cabinets) was originally done with colored toning lacquer, not stain. That doesn't mean stain is necessarily a wrong choice, more of an FYI.

Many old finishes fade and change color over time, with exposure to sunlight. If you look at a protected area of the cabinet, like the inner front ledge that was protected by the top cover, you'll see the original color, which was pretty reddish. If you're just going to revive & touch up the existing finish on the main cabinet, rather than strip everything and start over, then you'll want to match the current color, of course.

Whatever you do, I'd avoid polyurethane, which is non-authentic and harder to reverse than lacquer if you try something and don't like the results. I'd also avoid sanding more than necessary. You don't want to sand all the way through the veneer.

Phil Nelson

Bad on/off switches are a known issue with CT100s. If possible, use an external switch on a line cord or viriac to save wear and tear on the new on/off switch.

The CRT socket can be disassembled and the little socket pins can be removed and the wires from your cable harness dressed an re-soldered to the socket pins to eliminate the ugly splices. If you cable harness is too short, all the wires in the harness can be replaced with longer wires. A lot of work, but it can be done.

Okay, yes, thank you for your guidance.

I am not that experienced with cabinet refinishing but will research toning Lacquers. This would explain why the finish looks like a combination of paint and stain. It is something I have not seen before. I’m glad I waited for advice; I would have eventually either given up or used a modern solvent based stain with a poly overlay. Clearly this would not have achieved the desired results. In retrospect I should have just left the valance untouched; it was bad, but not that bad. Certainly not worth the time and grief I have experienced trying to match the original (actually the faded) color

I had hoped I would never again have to replace another switch like the one on the CT-100. It was a time consuming and involved process. Now I see I have a bad switch on a 21-CT-55 I’m working on. In the case of the 55 though, the switch just went bad; it did not burn up, so maybe I can just replace the switch portion and not have to remove the entire control cluster. It would be well known that the control clusters on the 100 and 55 are essentially the same.

Although my dad did come into the possession of two CT-100’s in the late 1960’s, in the late 1950’s we had a 21-CT-55. We used to watch 15 minutes of color programming per day because that was all that was telecast. It happened to be Jim Henson and his Muppet’s. Anyway, one day the CT-55 was plugged-in, but turned off, and my mom smelled something burning. It was the on-off switch.

Mark

The CTC-4 I am working on has a failed power switch as well. I installed an external switch (with an inline fuse).

This B&W RCA TV set from the 50's also had a bad power switch. I jumpered it out, and I use an external switched extension cord to switch the power. Its CRT is weak, so it probably saw lots of off-on cycles in its life.
http://www.wa2ise.com/radios/rca21t8395.jpg

After 15 months I got up enough nerve to look at the 15GP22 again. I was very worried it was not properly packed to survive the trip although I took every reasonable precaution. Here is a photograph of the electron gun as it appears currently.

Of course this isn't a confirmation of a vacuum suitable for operation. Further, it implies nothing about cathode emission. It is very encouraging though.

Regards,
Mark

Holy getter, batman! I'd say you got a winnah there, no evidence of white anywhere.

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=166705&d=1270077678
Maybe someone aimed a color video camera at a fish tank and that CT100 is displaying the video. :D Nice color.

Come on guys. The geometry of picture is not even correct.

That is just too funny!