An interesting Zenith Porthole TV on Ebay ...
 

I found this porthole interesting ...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290672968511

... for the following reasons:

1- channel selector is on the left side.
2- cabinet is not that bad - a little stain and Howard's would really freshen this set up.
3- no rust
4- power supply is mounted on opposite side from my two other portholes
5- the audio output tube is not on the Power Supply chassis
6- nice looking cabinet profile

Unfortunately its not in my neighbourhood.

Anyone here interested?
Any other observations about this TV?

Carl

That's my favorite porthole cabinet. Unfortunately you can't easily freshen up the grill cloth. Half the reason the set is so attractive is its grill and that one's pretty well trashed. Still I'm glad I'm not close enough to be tempted.

Looks like a reproduction grill cloth can be obtained - or at least a facsimile that is close enough.
"Retro mod" the TV if necessary - these are a lot of eye candy:-)

Carl

Everything on the wrong side ? Mebbe it was made for the British market....(grin)

It's 28 miles from me so I placed a bid.
Looks like it uses a 12UP4 Metal tube, I don't care for the odds of it being good.

I'm curious. I hope you win it and can tell us more about it.

Carl

I just noticed, there's an i.f. can, or at least the cover, sitting next to the chassis by the tuner.

I see that it was on the left rear of the chassis. If you look close you can see it. Hope the coil is good.

My vote is that its a British tv too ! ! ! That is so funny ! !

This set is an early Zenith, from 1948 or early 1949. The 1950-51 round-bezel sets are much more common, so that may explain this one's unexpected layout. The only one on the tvhistory.tv site with a model number like this one is the 27T965R from 1948.

I'm glad someone got my silly l'il joke...c'mon guys, this is sposed to be a HOBBY...Have FUN w/it...

I thought the same thing when I first saw the Ebay posting.
They have left handed golf clubs - why not a left handed TV:-)

I would think that this TV is one of the rarest Portholes and especially unusual with the tuner on the left. Wished it was in NC - but if Eric wins it, I hope he will share some more details and pictures.

Carl

There is or was one in the Henry Ford Museum, almost certainly the very same set pictured missing its knobs and behind a rope in a well-known reference book first published in 1992. I think it's fair to say the set is truly rare as this is the only other example I can recall turning up.

The tube location diagram shows a 12KP4 or a 12LP4. Split channel audio, ratio detector instead of the Zenith gated beam audio. Isn't that the same type chassis they used in the 10" Mayflower?

'48-'49 Zeniths had the tuners on the left.
I tried to post a pic of the same model, but in better condition.
I guess you can't post the same pic twice, so look here:
http://videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=250707

Down to #5