Of Goose Chases & Guilt Trips - Videokarma.org TV - Video

bgadow · #1 11-12-2005, 11:21 PM

Last Saturday was our town's fourth annual hobby fair. This is the 3rd time I've participated, this year with an assortment of radios plus my newly repaired Zenith porthole. The county paper did a nice story on the fair, including an interview of yours truly & picture of me & the porthole. As I expected, I got some phone calls from folks with old sets. That ended up being part of what I did today.

First was a couple who said they had a couple old radios, plus a FADA combination radio/tv. The FADA was supposed to be one of the first tv sets, they said. I know all about getting my hopes up, but I had visions of an early table model, either electrostatic or 10BP4 based. I stopped by to look at it first thing. The main radio they had was a small '42 Philco 7 tube console. Next to it sat the FADA. Turned out to be a 15" (?) rectangular console from, I'd guess, 1952. It used to have doors; lots of scratches on the cabinet. It appeared to use the continous tuner but no FM on this one that I could tell. They thought it was a radio because the nameplate reads "FADA Radio". They wouldn't name a price, but told me that if they were offered enough money they would sell them. I passed. If anybody should be interested, I have their number.

The next caller described a set "where the cabinet folds up and the screen tilts out" which caused my ears to perk up a bit. They asked about my collection & I said I have sets from 1947 on up. She said this was older than that. Yeah, I certainly knew better than that...had to check it out, though. I was thinking either one of those RCA coffee table tv's or maybe an early projection set, either of which would be worth bringing home. The house was out in the middle of nowhere; it was part of an estate. I had to run out there twice since nobody was home the first go round. When I finally saw the set, another dissapointment. Its a mid-50s 21" Motorola console. Its gimmick is that it has a door that folds up, one-piece, into the top like an old garage door. Blonde cabinet, stamped January '54, has a Channel Master 21YP4. I didn't really want it but since I had put that much effort out I made an offer-$20. The seller wasn't too happy after that, but did accept it. I need to find a home for it. No room at the inn. Pictures to come. It is a unique looking set, obviously a close cousin to the '54 Motorola color set.

The gentleman told me that he junked another set in the house. Said it looked to be from the sixties, a console with a black & gold cabinet & it had a safety glass. Wonder what it was? Long gone now. Sigh.

Most of the articles that appear in the county paper will wind up in the regional daily after a spell. If I end up in there I bet there will be more phone calls. I need to control myself because space & money are both tight.

Oh-one more find today. On the way home with the Motorola I spotted a tv in the ditch! Sometimes I'll just let them go but I turned around & got it. 1983 Panasonic, assembled in Franklin Park, Ill. 19" table model, sat it next to my 19" Motorola Quasar (later model) and the resemblance is uncanny. It doesn't do anything when I pull the switch; if the switch is bad it goes on Freecycle, if its anything much tougher than that it gets tossed. (but not in the ditch, at least) Anyhow, intersesting to have brought home 2 machines made in the same factory (I suppose) 30 years apart.

David Roper · #2 11-12-2005, 11:54 PM

Say Bryan, AK regular Dave S has been seeking this set:

which has that drop down door. If the one you picked up is identical to it, I'm sure he's interested. He hadn't found one as of the 2005 convention.

Chad Hauris · #3 11-13-2005, 03:27 PM

I actually found a Quasar dumped in the ditch too, years ago in Ohio. The cabinet had all fallen apart but I did salvage the speaker and knobs.

bgadow · #4 11-13-2005, 10:46 PM

My set is close to the one pictured but not it. Must be a year newer or older. The bezel/front panel arrangement is different. I'll have to snap a picture. Actually, I have a picture: several years ago I stumbled upon a Motorola sales aid-a 3D viewer with slides of various Motorola tv sets. I guess this was for dealers who couldn't stock the full line. Pretty neat. Well, this is one of the featured sets, so I can go look at it anytime without running out to the shed. But no way to share that view!

Also, I checked out the Panasonic today. I thought the crt might have been US made but it, like pretty much all the guts, was from Japan. Just assembled here. Anyway, all I could get it to do was blow fuses so it gets junked

bgadow · #5 11-16-2005, 12:36 PM

Here are a couple shots of the Motorola. Don't you just want to take it home?

Dave S · #6 11-17-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDRyan

Say Bryan, AK regular Dave S has been seeking this set:

Hey guys, Thanks for thinking of me. I really appreciate it! Audiokarma has the ambience of a local club, it just happens to span the globe. I'm really grateful that folks are kind enough to keep my want list in mind.

I must say that my heart went pitter-patter as I read through Bryan's post, but nope, this one isn't it. Maybe someday...

Thanks a bunch!
--Dave