Kutztown, PA finds 4 of 4, Emerson in the box

[Dave A]

Here is the mystery set still in the box unopened.

I bought this on Saturday from a dealer that had it in the front of a horse trailer. Completly unopened. Still stapled shut.

There is a cut in the box that allows you to look in a bit. All I can see is a fake mahogany finish on some material. Not real wood.

I have no idea what is inside other than it is small console size. You can see the model number in the photos. It is still unopened until you chime in.

I want to hear what you think I should do with it. I am inclined to open it and do the variac test. It is not anything historic...check back 20 years for now for that. And if anyone knows what it looks like, post it here.

Dave a

[superdeez]

I'd open it, but keep all the packing materials and manuals. Who knows--you might even grow to like it?

[Adam]

It's always exciting to hear about a new in the box find. I couldn't make out the model numbers in the picture. But here's a picture of my Emerson (1957), which probably isn't it because its wood, but they also made a metal cabinet version of it with legs.

[Eric H]

Umm Dave, it says Emerson on the box
Whatever it is it's extremely cool!

I vote to open it too, I'm dying to see what's in there.

Take lots of pictures of the process for your friends here at AK, video would be nice too =

[Dave A]

I stand corrected. Just cutting and pasting from the earlier posts. It is an Emerson as Eric noted. I will edit the original to correct my hasty error. Eric, can you correct the main page title? Don't know how to do that.

And where could I post video? Sounds like a server donation and link.

Perhaps a whole new area for video on AK somewhere. A clip of working sets would be fun to watch. Including my Col-R-Tel that is about to get a new CRT for the host set.

Dave A

[Eric H]

Hi Dave, I can't edit the title, drh4683 moderates this forum so maybe Doug can fix it.

If you make some videos I would be glad to host them on my site and post the link here.

[veg-o-matic]

Arrrrgh! Open it, open it! How can you stand just letting it sit???

veg (you should see me on Christmas...)

[bgadow]

Sitting here miles away, I say leave it closed. Someday it will be worth a fortune. But if I owned it I don't think I could stand it!

A few years ago I bought a copy of the local paper, a special edition from the town's hundreth anniversary. The paper was still rolled up and sealed, plus tied with twine. Dated mid 60s. I couldn't stand it, I ruined it, I opened it, I admit it. And I would probably do it again!

[Dave A]

Here we go with the sealed set. Bryan, neither one of us will live long enough to make this a priceless set down the road. Eric, thanks for the offer, but the camcorder is on assignment at the ballpark. I may save that offer for the Col-R-Tel pictures.

Now for the grand opening. I snipped the staples on the bottom and opened it. The box said to flip it and pull the box up. The legs looked to fragile for that move, so I slid it out on it's back. A flat back made that a good move. It arrived in this world almost unscathed. I found a small scratch on the side where the peephole cut was. It is a mahogany photo finish over Masonite as shiny as I have ever seen. A little red and black Sharpie action covered the scratch nicely. You can also see the rear stain overspray shot right on the chassis table, but not on the chassis installed later.

It is Emerson's model 1478-434N. Year unknown. VHF only. UHF does show on the tube chart, but not here.

It has two 8" or so speakers and two circuit boards. The PS is on the bottom and the rest is on the side. The main board is a full PC board under the sheet metal support. It is a 21" tube. Only one hang tag on the front for tuning instructions and one for the wonders of Emerson's "Full-power transformer" which begs the question of a less-than-full-power-transformer.

This is a very economy set, but very well built compared to the Scott in my other thread.

The variac test got a pic, but shrunken on the right and the usual hot can. Not bad for 45+ years in a box. For now, it goes in line for repair.

Now on to the Panasonic CTJ-1000 I just found at the Goodwill with the perfect color picture and cabinet. A cute little set for $4.99. Stop me before I buy again!

Dave A

[jpdylon]

NRFB until now? that looks incredible! Very cool to see what they looked like new.

[Parky50]

Very nice time capsule there Dave !!!
Thanks for sharing the pic's...

[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by Dave A

It arrived in this world almost unscathed.

Great pictures. i can almost smell the new!

[smoker76]

That's really cool! I hope you can keep the box/materials.
Could you tell us the story on the set? Where/who is it from and why did it never get opened?
Thanks!

[Dave A]

The first three sets came from a dealer that bought them from a closed tv shop in Lancaster, PA. The round Motorola was in the dealers home in his bedroom. There was another early 60's Motorola I did not buy along with some not-so-good-looking wall mount sets. Quite beat up.

The NIB Emerson came from another dealer that bought the set from the same closed shop. He also had some NIB RCA extension speakers in cabinets. One was a smallish chairside, bookcase looking, solid mahogany cabinet with a very ordinary 10" speaker in it. He also had a wall mount slide-out phono/amp unit from the early 60's. Also NIB.

And a quick plug for my new digital camera. The Olympus 810. The most amazing camera I have ever seen. Takes pix in almost complete dark conditions up to ISO 3200 specs and has a great image stabilization to boot.

Dave A

Dave A

[bgadow]

I was gonna comment about the quality of those outdoor screenshots. I have trouble getting them that good indoors!