Estate Sale Finds in 2010!

[drh4683]

Happy New Year

Kicking off 2010 with a couple TV finds right off the bat. Hard to believe yet another year flys. 2010 marks the 7th edition of the "estate sale finds" thread.

There were actually a few estate sales on new years day and I took advantage of the opportunity to see what was out there. Just one sale, at 9801 S. Carpenter St in Chicago. You know you're in a good area of the city when all the homes have those iron bars with pad locks in front of all the windows and doors...

I found a 1974 RCA XL-100 Mural TV (hotel model) with what appears to be the original stand. The TV was on the stand backwards as shown when I found it, those brackets must somehow retain the TV, but I havn't looked into it yet. Works fine, and yes, you're seeing analog TV pulled in off the rabbit ears! We have quite a few low powered UHF stations on the air still and even one on VHF, channel 6.

In the garage was a silvertone combo, probably a '65 or '66 model. I'd say its been sitting out there for about 10 years. It was free, so why not. Im sure the TV doesn't work, or else it wouldn't be out there. Not in bad shape, just alot of dust and debris on the cabinet.

For the record, here are the previous estate sale finds threads:

estate sale finds in 2009
estate sale finds in 2008
estate sale finds in 2007
estate sale finds in 2006
estate sale finds in 2005
estate sale finds in 2004
additional finds in 2004


In 2003 estate sale finds got posted as a new thread when they were found:

2003 finds A
2003 finds B
2003 finds C
2003 finds D
2003 finds E
2003 finds F

[Kalamazoo-DJ]

I am a sucker for combo's..... my back dont really care for them but they are unique in my opinion. those are nice sets you have.

[Jeffhs]

I thought TV stations weren't permitted to transmit analog signals as of June 12 last year. Why are there so many analog TV stations still in Chicago? There is only one analog station left (that I am aware of, anyway) in the Cleveland area (W51BI in Kirtland, east of the city in Lake County, Ohio); I'm not sure if that station is still on the air, as I have cable (Time Warner) which does not carry the station at this time. Are these analog translators going to be around awhile, or is there a cutoff date by which they must either convert to digital or go off the air?

[RobtWB]

You are fortunate to live in such a rich area for mid century to mid 70's housing. Always seem to be the best goodies at those estate sales.
Nice sets BTW.
Did those RCA bunny ears come with the set? I have looked for over a year for that vintage of RCA set top antennas to go with my XL 100 consoles but the only place to find them is on eBay - and the shipping is always more than the price of the antennna set.
Sorta the same with Zenith set top antennas - very hard to find - but would like to stumble upon a '77 model to go with the CC2 table top set I got from you - even though it has built in antennas.

[Jeffhs]

Duplicate post - please disregard

I thought TV stations weren't permitted to transmit analog signals anymore as of June 12 last year. Why are there so many analog TV stations still in Chicago? There is only one analog station left in the Cleveland area -- W51BI in Kirtland, east of the city in Lake County, Ohio -- and I'm not sure if that station is still on the air. Are these stations (including the ones in Chicago) operating under some sort of special temporary authority and are expected to go off the air or to cable eventually?

BTW, I've been following your estate-sale finds threads in VK since you started posting them seven years ago, and it still amazes me how you are able to find room to store all those old TVs you're finding, especially large consoles such as the Silvertone console pictured in your post. You must have a huge storage building somewhere near your house; that or else your basement is a hundred times or more larger than most.

[radiotvnut]

Doug, looks like you're getting 2010 off to a good start with a couple great finds. I always liked those SS 19" RCA's with the stand up chassis. Very good picture on those sets. Those vertical chassis RCA's were probably among the best SS sets they made.

I assume that Silvertone is built by Warwick. I wonder if it's all tube or is the stereo SS.

Jeff, only full power TV stations were required to discontinue analog broadcasting and go to digital. The low power stations are not required to terminate analog at this time. In my area, we have one such station - channel 47, which is a translator station for the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

[jr_tech]

"There is only one analog station left in the Cleveland area -- W51BI in Kirtland, east of the city in Lake County, Ohio -- and I'm not sure if that station is still on the air."

From FCC records, it appears that this translator is still transmitting in analog... they have a construction permit to go digital, which expires 12/29/2011.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=67934

It appears that no firm deadline has been set by the FCC for low power (and likely translators, as well) to transition to digital.

http://www.dtv.gov/lptv.html

jr

[DaveWM]

Nice silvertone!

[bgadow]

The Silvertone looks like a direct competitor for the Airline I picked up recently. A real shame they have to be so darn big. A nice start!

[zenithfan1]

Cool Silvertone! Those don't pop up often. You're off to a good start this year.

[andy]

...

[zenithfan1]

It looks a lot like my '66, I agree, I would be willing to bet the stereo is SS by that year. My set looks to have a modified CTC 16 clone in it, I look forward to seeing the inside.

[freakaftr8]

Very sweet finds Doug, looks like 2010 should be a promising find year as well! Im looking still on my end as usual.

[67Zenith]

Happy new year everyone! Nice finds Doug. You always find the best of the best. No TV finds for me yet in 2010 but I did find a mint 1963 RCA Victor clock radio model 3-RD-65, turquoise and white, a real nice one.

[drh4683]

Went to a sale at 7332 Crain Ave in Niles, IL this afternoon. The sale was on the third floor of the three flat apartment. Turned up a nice Sears Silvertone console in the early american cabinet. This is a high end sears set too, a very well made sturdy cabinet and it also has the unique slide out control panel. In the living room as you can see, still wired to the antenna. Working perfect, well cared for and low hours. It appears to be a TV that never was serviced either. On the back is the "sears quality" sticker with the date stamp of February 24, 1972 with the inspectors hand written initials. This is a Chicago made Wells Gardner set, they were still loaded up full of tubes still in '72. The TV also came with its owners manual.

There was a guy at the sale who was interested in this late 70's Wards console stereo but he wasn't going to buy it unless the turntable worked. I was not prepaired to move this TV down the staircase in this apartment, so I asked the guy interested in the stereo if he could help me move the TV in return for me fixing the turntable. The changer lever was stuck in the off mode, so we asked the sale people if we could take it apart on the spot and if we could fix it, it would be sold. So we did. I always keep my trusty little xcelite reversable screwdriver in my truck in case I ever want to pop open a TV or radio on the spot. Pulled the phonograph out and fixed it, just had to free a stuck lever due to dried/tacky grease. That made this guy and his wifes day when I got it going as they both told me they were not very mechanical inclinded to undertake repairing it themselves. Everyone at the sale was watching as I took this thing apart in the living room, haha. It was kind of a show and tell, everyone wanted to know how the phonograph worked when I pulled it out. We put it back together and tested it out on one of my favorite albums that I see at almost every estate sale. It was Ray Conniff; 'S awful Nice from 1958. Its amazing how much those instrumentals are appriciated by people my age who never heard the stuff before. Everyone at the sale thought those songs were great. Made me feel good because thats the kind of music I appriciate. So we let that play while the guy helped me move the TV down into my truck. I also helped move the stereo for them also.

Those little things like helping other people out make my day. I made a couple good friends at that sale while others watched me take the stereo apart and also got my name out to the people running the sale that Im into the vintage electronics. Not everything is about money, if people can just help each other out from time to time it makes for a good day.

Yes, thats analog TV you see, picked up live off the outdoor antenna. Channel 23 on UHF is still alive for us Chicagoans.

And no, that '62 Chevy Bel Air 4 door sedan in the driveway wasn't for sale! Darn!