Vintage televisions, anyone? Post pics here!

[dhermann1]

QUOTE=Big Man;1201031]While going through some of my Dad's old papers today (I've got boxes and boxes of them), I found a canceled check written 3 November 1951 for $390 for a "T.V. Set". I suppose the check was payment for the old DuMont TV that is still in the house. The old TV doesn't work now (the picture tube went out years ago), The last time it was turned on the radio worked, but I'd be afraid to plug it in now.

The price of $390 was a lot of money in 1951 (heck, it's a lot of money to me NOW). Does that sound about right for the price of this kind of TV in 1951?

Here's the canceled check from 1951.

Here's the only "old" picture I have of the TV. This picture was taken in 1958.

And here it is now (picture taken about a year ago), still in the same corner of the same room.

[/QUOTE]
Big Man! You're just a one man human living museum! Always so much fun to visit your house, wherever the time machine decides to drop us.

 

[Big Man]

Big Man! You're just a one man human living museum! Always so much fun to visit your house, wherever the time machine decides to drop us.

Thanks. I fully realize just how incredibly fortunate I am to have so many "connections" to the past. The box of things I was going though when I found the canceled check for the TV contained bank statements from 1951 to 1957. Those were some of the best years for my parents. There were a number of canceled checks for pieces of furniture, a radio, and a stove that are still in use today. All these things were purchased when my parents really began keeping house on their own.

It's all just worthless scraps of paper to most everyone else, but to me it's a link to a time now so long gone.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

That's about right for a Dumont, I found the payment book for the RA-112 I got from my Grandmother. (Dec. '49)
She paid $500.00 for the set, which was a good bit of change for those days.

 

[Man of Vintage]

They just made everything cool looking back then didn't they?

 

[JAZZmann]

check out MZTV Museum of Television in Toronto (sorry don't know how to do links). I went there over spring break. It was fantastic.

 

[59KUSTOM]

They just made everything cool looking back then didn't they?

Yeah, man, everything had form, function AND style.

 

[Red Tractors]

Well, I'm beating my head against a wall now. I donated off my Grandmother's ca 1985 Zenith stereo console last fall, granted the picture was starting to go but it did still work. I watched many a re-run of Dragnet and Adam 12 on that TV.

I do have my grandparents B&W portable set from the early 60's. And most of Grandpa's tools and tube checker, he was a TV and Radio repairman from about 1950 till the late 60's.

 

[Gregg Axley]

Using Inflation Calculator Big Man, that comes to well over $3200 today.
Very nice....
The Dumont would be $4500.
Holy cow....

 

[30s sliphorn]

[/IMG]
This is my 1947 RCA; my uncle was fond of vintage TVs, and gave it to me recently. I haven't taken it to have it checked out by a professional yet, but would like to at some point. Next to it is my 1933 Philco "Baby Grand" cathedral radio. It has been fully restored and is a real joy to listen to.

 

[fortworthgal]

If anyone in the DFW area is looking for a vintage 50s TV, there are several very nice looking ones on Craigslist right now, priced $95-$225.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

While going through some of my Dad's old papers today (I've got boxes and boxes of them), I found a canceled check written 3 November 1951 for $390 for a "T.V. Set". I suppose the check was payment for the old DuMont TV that is still in the house. The old TV doesn't work now (the picture tube went out years ago), The last time it was turned on the radio worked, but I'd be afraid to plug it in now.

The price of $390 was a lot of money in 1951 (heck, it's a lot of money to me NOW). Does that sound about right for the price of this kind of TV in 1951?

$390 in 1951 is roughly equivalent to $3,300 today.

 

[PoohBang]

Picked up this gem this weekend. Already gutted. So I'm going to put in a new HD flat screen and watch in style now...

I think it's from 1952-1957...

 

[dhermann1]

Always bugs the heck out of me to see them gutted like that. But it's a sweet cabinet. The emblem indicates that once upon a time an Emerson product resided inside.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Here is our "retrovation" television. It's an early 50s Westinghouse cabinet with a late model color picture tube. It has audio/video inputs which we use to run DVD. It makes vintage movie nights at home way more fun!

 

[Touchofevil]

Here is our "retrovation" television. It's an early 50s Westinghouse cabinet with a late model color picture tube. It has audio/video inputs which we use to run DVD. It makes vintage movie nights at home way more fun!

I like it!

 

[DamianM]

Once someone was giving me an early 50s TV, but I had nothing to haul it with. If I would have known you can connect a dvd player!!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Very cool! Sure makes my old 80's consoles look boring!

I have the same antenna and panther on one of my sets.

Here is our "retrovation" television. It's an early 50s Westinghouse cabinet with a late model color picture tube. It has audio/video inputs which we use to run DVD. It makes vintage movie nights at home way more fun!

 

[Guttersnipe]

Once someone was giving me an early 50s TV, but I had nothing to haul it with. If I would have known you can connect a dvd player!!

The "guts" are from a late model TV. I don't think the old TVs have audio/video inputs. The conversion was set up for me a fellow in New Jersey named Harry Poster (look up Harry Poster [dot] com).

We're going to get a Roku to stream Netflix and Amazon instant soon.

 

[Stearmen]

Here is our "retrovation" television. It's an early 50s Westinghouse cabinet with a late model color picture tube. It has audio/video inputs which we use to run DVD. It makes vintage movie nights at home way more fun!

Where's the aluminum foil on the rabbit ears?

 

[dhermann1]

Guttersnipe: Very nice. Also, that's a mighty spiffy antique Chines deco rug you have there. Where did you find it?