Very Unusual DuMont..

[azguy1878]

A local antiques dealer has an unusual dumont set that i found rather interesting. Its has an oriental cabinet, VERY LARGE!!! About 5 feet tall and 3.1/2 wide. Its complete and works somewhat. I bought one of my Predictas from the same dealer years ago, he gets alot of old TV's so I check back at his store every so often. Anyway he was asking $300.00 for this set. At first it seemed a little steep, but this looks like a very rare set! Heres a couple pics..i know they're not great, but I had to sneak these pics and there was a lot of crap in the way!





The cabinet is also on tall legs, about 15 inches tall, with the same fancy orgintal design, i couldnt get a pic of them though! Also the back of the cabinet looks identical to the front except that it has a green finish! Again this seems like a very high qaulity set, I may go back and pick it up.

[ChuckA]

azguy,

It's a Model RA-106 Manchu, one of the expensive DuMont sets. Uses the 20BP4 CRT, multiple chassis'. It was designed to be placed right up against a wall, the main "box" swivels on a eccentric "lazy susan" that allows the screen to be moved into viewing position. When not being viewed you would turn the set back so either the mahogany or green side was shown depending on the room decoration.

Here's a link to my set:
http://www.myvintagetv.com/dumont_manchu.htm

You should probably make sure the CRT is good, as it is as rare as a 15GP22. There was a modification to allow a 19AP4 to be installed. If you do buy it, and before you move it, you may want to remove the focus coil assembly from around the neck of the tube, the main CRT support is the wood bracket which compresses the face into a large rubber mask. This is from experience, I broke the neck of the crt when the cabinet got away from me taking it off the truck with a refrigerator dolly.


If the CRT is good, $300 is a great price. This would be only the 7th one I've heard of, hope there is something still inside. One I found a couple years ago was completely gutted.


Chuck

[kx250rider]

That's a great set! I've never seen one in person, and in fact, I can't recall ever seeing a photo of one (other than in service manuals/catalogs). The only 20BP4s I've run into have been in the DuMont Westminster and I've had a couple of Kaye-Halbert sets with 20BP4s.

Charles

[zenithfan1]

I-Want-One-Right-Now!!!!!!!!!

[Phil Nelson]

Ooo-la-la! I would go for it if you have the room, and the chassis is present and looks complete.

Deserves a kinder fate than to be crammed into a corner with old shopping carts.

I don't know how far you would be transporting it, but I'd be tempted to remove the chassis beforehand.

Phil Nelson

[zenith2134]

Man that's a nice one. I would grab it.....hopefully you get lucky and the tube is healthy. Didn't realize this 20" was such a rare crt.

DuMont stuff was really well built.....how much did one of these set you back in '48?

[azguy1878]

Thanks for all the info guys, I knew this had to be a rare set! Im gonna try to go back downtown and look it over. I know the CRT is at least present, I only had a brief second to look inside the cabinet, so im not sure about anything else.

Im a little hesitant to buy it mostly because im going to have a big problem getting this thing to my upstairs apartment! Given the size and weight it would be like moving a refrigerator upstairs, except that this refrigerator swivels! I may just remove the chassis and the base and bring it up in pieces. Anyway I still need to look it over, i'll keep you guys posted!

[azguy1878]

Ok guys heres the deal; I went back to the store today and got permission to fiddle with set. The only thing that happens is the lights on the radio dials turn on. The plastic is melted on the dials also. The Tv does nothing, Absolutly no sound from the speaker, not even a humming noise. Heres the big problem, i still dont know the condition of the chassis. There is no room to turn the set around without moving everything out of the room first. Its tucked in the corner and theres no negotiating room. Everything would have to be moved out and at that point I would feel obligated to buy it! To my amazement all of the knobs were present. I tested the turntable as well, it makes a loud grinding noise.

I think what happened here is someone had this in storage and the harsh Arizona heat got to it. Although the cabinet is in excellent condition, this is still going to be a big project! This is indeed a rare set but im not sure if I want to take a $300.00 gamble.

The good news is I found a guy that will move the set for me, pick it up and take it up the stairs and all! That will set me back another $120.00 if i decide to buy it. So my question is..given what we know about the set do you think its worth the $420.00 its going to cost me total?

[mattdavala]

When are you going to come across such a rare and beautiful Dumont like this again? I've spent way more than I should have purchasing a mid 60's untested Zenith round color TV.

Go visit it again and see if your heart is really for it. You might find yourself quite happy looking at it in your apartment, knowing that someone else got it up those stairs!

-
Matt D

[Arkay]

If it were me, I'd grab it on sight, but my earliest memories of a television were of a similar DuMont. As a three-year-old, I was mesmerized by that big round knob, the smell of the glowing tubes inside and the rest of it. I have a lot of memories associated with that old DuMont.

I also grew up spinning records on that kind of Webster record changer. The changer had been put into a wooden plinth made by my Uncle, who gave it, along with a tube amp and speaker he made, to my parents as a wedding gift. [They were married around '48-'49, so the dates are right for that set.] I never learned if he transplanted the Webster from the DuMont, and had assumed they were always separate, but now I suspect he may have removed it from the DuMont. [ A little research is called for!]

So for me, just the sight of that thing is a nostalgia trip down memory lane to the most magical period of my life!

What's more, it would fit in perfectly with the kind of (mostly Oriental) furniture/decor we have in the apartment here in Hong Kong, today. Yep, I'd grab it in a flash, as I don't think I could possibly ever find a vintage TV more perfectly-suited to me, period!

But those are all personal reasons, not inherent in the set itself, and thus would be irrelevant to anyone else. $420 before the cost of any parts or the time needed to repair it... is it worth that, to you? Only you can answer that question. But I know how I'd answer it, and because of all those memories, I'd gladly pay a premium for one of those sets, today!

[kx250rider]

I'll go grab it for myself if it isn't spoken for at $300! I have to drive to Dallas in the next couple weeks, and I'd love to have it. I could stop and get it on the way back to LA.

Charles

[Phil Nelson]

I would recommend removing the chassis even if you hire someone to move it. Why take the chance?

You will not be happy if you spend that money and then something pops loose. Yes, the mover could pay you something for it, but if the broken part is impossible to find, as the CRT may be, that means you have a TV that will never work.

Phil

[akent36]

Someone needs to buy this rare set fast before it gets turned into a liquor cabinet. It would be a perfect candidate.

[azguy1878]

Well ive been thinking about it and Im going to do us all favor and save this set either way! Even though I dont really have a place for it, it needs to be rescued! Although im picky about the condition of the sets I buy, I just cant find it in me to let such a rare beauty go. I would imagine since the knobs and everything else seemed to be intact the chassis is most likely there, just in dire need of restoration. The store wont be open again till Tuesday, or Wednsday, but you can bet I will be there! Wish me luck guys!

[newhallone]

I would still try to talk them down some. It can't hurt!