I rolled the eBay dice on an RCA Deluxe 14PD8055

[Jeffhs]

The RCA shown on Flickr is VHF only; yours looks like it is all-channel. Are they the same set, but in different cabinets, with the Deluxe model having factory-installed UHF and the standard one being UHF-adaptable with an aftermarket conversion kit? Seems to me that may be the difference (one of them, anyway) between the "Deluxe" model and the standard 14PD8055.

I'm not too familiar with this type of RCA TV. I did have a set some years ago in a cabinet similar to yours, but mine was an Emerson 17-inch VHF-only portable with a metal handle on top. (It worked well for years, but developed a horizontal-sync problem in the early '80s, the power switch failed and was jumped; very shortly after the sync problem showed up, the set unfortunately was trashed, not by myself [long story and OT]. ) I don't think Emerson ever put leather handles on their sets; I'm surprised RCA did with some of its 1950s portables. The leather probably dried out and/or rotted over time, causing the handle eventually to fall apart (as it must have on Phil's set).