Philco 48-2500 projection set in CA

[Phil Nelson]

Starting bid $37.77.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Bring along an extra can of spinach to move this one!

Phil

[bandersen]

Oooh - that's a cool set. Maybe one of these days...

[Tom Albrecht]

I'm guessing that one has been refinished with clear finish after stripping the original dark mahogany stain. Or did they have a lighter version? Mine actually looks a little like this one, and I've always assumed it was refinished by a previous owner. Someday I'll refinish mine to put it back to the original color, although I have to admit it probably looks better to the modern eye with the lighter finish.

As I look at the pictures more closely, given the poor condition of the finish, it seems it might be original. Might have to research a bit to see if I can find any evidence of the lighter color being available originally.

Picture of mine here: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_48_2500.html and here at the bottom of the article: http://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/pro...sion_sets.html .

These are indeed unique sets.

[Phil Nelson]

Most 1940s cabinets are dark, but I think the lighter finish is more in keeping with the overall style, which would look at home with somewhat newer "Mid Century Modern" items. If the eBay set was refinished, that must have been quite a while ago, for it to get so uniformly beat up. Anything's possible, of course.

Phil

[Eric H]

I'm guessing it's the original finish, getting rid of all the dark finish so uniformly would be nearly impossible.

It says it was owned by the Hollywood Entertainment Museum (why they had it they don't say) so maybe it was a custom job for some big shot.

I have all the internals for one of these including a NOS CRT.
I fired up the chassis one day and it produces a wickedly scary amount of HV!

It's 54 miles and one Hernia away from me.

[ChuckA]

Originally Posted by Tom Albrecht

I'm guessing that one has been refinished with clear finish after stripping the original dark mahogany stain. Or did they have a lighter version? Might have to research a bit to see if I can find any evidence of the lighter color being available originally.

Tom,

I'm not sure about it being original either. I know that the original preproduction units were in walnut, but I never saw one with blond finish, or read anywhere that it was available in anything but dark mahogany. Also the veneer is mahogany, could have been what RCA called "toasted mahogany", but if you look at the edges of the lid it's dark, another "gotcha". Really need to see it in person, but if it goes cheap......


Chuck

[rld-tv01]

I bought a dark cabinet 48-2500 from the Bowie MD Raidio/TV museum a couple years ago after they got one with a blonde finish as a donation. So there are other blonde finish ones out there.

-Richard

[Tom Albrecht]

Although blond was certainly popular at the time, and many other manufacturers offered sets in blond finish, that's not what I'm seeing here. This looks more like natural mahogany rather than blond, which I associate with a nearly opaque tan-colored "stain."

Have people seen actual blond 48-2500s, or are we simply calling this light mahogany color "blond?"

[rld-tv01]

I've seen the 48-2500 at the Bowie MD Radio/TV museum but I honestly didn't look that close to see if it was blonde or light mahogany. It definitely was a different color then my 48-2500 which is redish brown. Bowie is 65 miles the other side of Washignton DC from me and too far to drive in the immediate future. Another TV collector Craig Roberts has some TVs on loan to the museum. I'll try emailing him to see if he may have given the 48-2500 a closer look.

[Phil Nelson]

Yah, I think it looks like a light natural finish rather than blond.

What's the plastic strip with dark bars next to the knobs? Channel indicator?

Phil

[Eric H]

Drat, I was looking at the set again and the Cat jumped on the keyboard and bid on it.
I must be out of my mind.

[Bill Cahill]

That's 40's blond. The later blond is limed. I don't like that. This I do like.
I have two RCA's in this type of blond.
The plastic thingy is a radio dial. Definately worth getting... Tell your cat you just bought it......
Bill Cahill

[Tom Albrecht]

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

What's the plastic strip with dark bars next to the knobs? Channel indicator?

Hi Phil,

Yes, that's the channel indicator. The tuner has 8 positions, and you can insert appropriate coils for the 8 channels you want, and put a little plastic number into the appropriate slot on that strip (a little like Philco pushbutton radios from the 1940s). Behind the strip there is a lamp on a dial string that moves from position to position along the strip as the tuner turret is turned.

Tom

[rld-tv01]

I talked to Craig Roberts who has spent a lot of time at the Bowie Radio/Television Museum. He says the Philco 48-2500 at the museum is blonde color but could not definitely say that it wasn't light mahogany.

-Richard

[Eric H]

I got it for the opening bid of $37.77
Umm, Cool, I guess...

What piece of furniture should I toss to make room for it?

I think I'll take it to work, paint it red and and disguise it as a Tool Box.