Anyone know of Altec Lansing TV's made in the late '40's? A friend sent some pictures of one he has but there is no info on it on the internet.

There is a very brief mention of them in this month's Radio Age. It just mentions that the company announced in '49 that they would start production on TV sets. I'm too tired to get up and check the Sams index...

The only one that I see from the late 40s in my Photofact index is Model A323B in PF set 66, folder 2 (1949)... looks like they made a few models up to the early 60s... Cool, I never knew that they made TVs!
jr

Would this be the one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/EXTREMELY-Rare-Altec-Lansing-Television-ALC-201-Ser-545-/380262630635?pt=Televisions&hash=item58896b44eb

I wouldn't give 50K for it, maybe 2-3 hundred.

I wouldn't give 50K for it...

Boy, if there was ever a case for the resumption of tar-and-feathering...

Wow, that seller with the $50,000 television seems to have quite a collection of horrifically overpriced vintage speakers and other tube-type paraphernalia... :saywhat:

Actually yes, that would be the one. We talked about it briefly and he didn't know what it was worth and I assumed he was wanting a few hundred for it. I didn't realize it would turn up on evilbay; esp at this price! Good luck!!

The Altec on Ebay looks like it's cobbled up. The chassis looks correct but the rest looks like an old dresser to me.

I found an Altec set at an auction a couple years ago, interesting but was just an ugly box, auctioneer couldn't get a buck for it, went in the dumpster.



Chuck

If you look at the tag, it says Altec TV Attachment....remember back then audio components were sold as bare chassis and you built your own housing for them. I doubt seriously this TV came with the cabinet.

Wow. That "console" sure looks like a mid to late 50's dresser that has been repurposed for a tv. Everything about it looks wrong.

Were those altec lansings like the Fleetwood tv reveivers???

Were those altec lansings like the Fleetwood tv reveivers???

The one I junked was in a "real" TV cabinet, but I imagine they were available for custom installations, like Radio Craftsman and Fleetwood.


Chuck

Dang, that's the ugliest thing I've seen in my life. I mean the "TV attachment," not the dresser. Something tells me it was designed by an engineer with no input from a real designer:

"Hmmm . . . and what should we put to the side of the screen? Aw, who cares -- just put a big blank piece of metal with a tuning eye in the middle."

Phil

I'll let my 12" Sampo go for a mere $10,000 - custom fitted into a dime store roll-around cart with genuine cardboard veneer. "The Sampo of Constant Sorrow."

Seriously though, it is pretty foolish to list items like that. Someone could hit "buy it now" with no intentions to pay or a phony account, and the seller would be going through crap to convince eBay to reverse the final fees on $50,000.

Isn't that an Audio Craftsman chrome-chassis power amp on the right-hand side? I agree that it looks like all of these componenets were installed in this cabinet, or dresser, or whatever it originally was.

Gilbert

Those are Kaye-Halbert knobs. Not sure if they're original for the Altec set; maybe, since it's made in Hollywood and KH was only a couple miles south of there in central LA (until 1950 when they moved to Culver City). Looking at the TV, the knobs might appear too large, as if maybe they're wrong.

Charles

The name of the fellow with the set is Al Wajnberg in Crystal Lake Il. He also sent me the photos which are attached for your viewing pleasure.

I am not interested but if someone here wants it, you can reach Al Wajnberg at 637-609-3565.

The guy must be delusional if he thinks it has a value like he posted in Ebay. You could by an entire room full of CT100's for what he was asking.

Sorry to rain on your parade Julian, but I think it only fair that other collectors should have a chance to drive the purchase price up for you :-)

Those are Kaye-Halbert knobs. Not sure if they're original for the Altec set; maybe, since it's made in Hollywood and KH was only a couple miles south of there in central LA (until 1950 when they moved to Culver City). Looking at the TV, the knobs might appear too large, as if maybe they're wrong.

Charles

It is sort of Kaye Halbert Yellow, or am I thinking of Natalie Kalmus?

Algonquin/Crystal Lake is like 5 miles from me! Is this my chance to see a $50K Television in person? LOL. Theres some intriguing things to that set but I can't imagine anything in that kinda condition would be worth $50K. I know some of the large sound systems personally designed by Mr. Lansing of JBL fame go for that kinda money but a TV? Does it have the sound and exclusiveity to match the name? No Huge Speakers there. Just an overpriced Kaye Halbert that may have a little better sound is my guess.

...and this is your mind on drugs. Damned, reality check on aisle 5

Those are Kaye-Halbert knobs. Charles

Those are the same knobs that are on my 12 inch ALTEC TV attachment.
What's left of it...
Sorrow and misery seems to follow these sets. The set Chuck described wound up in a dumpster, the one above was built into a dresser and mine, which was in a real
TV cabinet, was smashed to pieces because someone had removed the power transformer mounting bolts and it broke the 12LP4 and destroyed lots of stuff mounted on the top of the chassis flailing around during shipping. Tore the doors of the cabinet too. The seller, an antique dealer, played dumb and I never got my money back.


Cliff

I think it would be cool to have an Altec TV just because it is an Altec TV.