Vintage TV's, a new hobby?

[Kevinpreston3]

Veg---Here is mine!

Bring yours over and it will be like a 1965 showroom here.

So obviously the same basic unit as mine, with a different cabinet. Notice the screen, bezel, tuner, speaker grille.

Mine works too, but does not have the greatest display...I was told by a Sears technician who did TVs for 30 years that it was definately fixable for about $100. Maybe one of these days...

I remember we got this TV around Christmas time, and saw Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on it. I remember seeing alot of shows that we had previously seen on our black and white TV on this, and amazed at the colors!

My first wife wanted to dump this, and my aqua recliners from 1959 and my 1968 Dodge Charger. It was all "junk" to her. She was the queen of "camel and blue" color schemes, Laura Ashley (ugh) and faux oak. One of many reasons she is the X!!!! (to give you an idea of my present wife, the recliners are in our bedroom, the Zenith in our back office, and the Charger in our garage, with her approval and encouragement).

 

[gyrafoam]

Wow! So THAT was what the place on Leavenworth lookes like inside! Glad you made it in. That T.V. is a beautiful piece of furniture!

 

[Kevinpreston3]

One additional item

Our black and white TV of the time was, I believe, an Admiral.

What was so cool about it was its remote. You had to flip a switch in the back of the TV to use it, and a small light would glow on the front panel, letting you know remote was on. Oddly, the light stayed on even with the TV off, so of course, my mom did not want the remote used!

When we did use it, you took it off the side of the TV. It nestled in a little socket for it, held with magnets. It was a black plastic affair, with four keys. One would turn it off, one would bump it up four volume levels, then back to the first, the 3rd button was channel up, the 4th channel down.

Jason was quite right about the tuning. Ours was a motor, and from the front panel you pushed a "see saw" type plastic tab--one end went down, the other up the channels of 2-13. These numbers lit up in a green window. You manually "programmed" the stops for a channel by preselecting tabs inside a little door. The motor bypassed the other channels.

The remote used a "sonar" type arrangement. My dad opened the case for some reason, and there were little tuning fork type things in it. The push of the buttons did provide a variation of different wierd tones. The TV would pick these up and execute what you wanted. It was also great fun because if you "screamed like a girl" the TV would change stations!

I loved this TV, and I really hope it is still somewhere where someone cares for it.

There was another TV that had a remote that was simply a flashlight! In each corner of the TV was a light sensitive port that when you shined a light at one corner, it would do whatever function it was set to do. Not very popular, as lights and sun tended to create problems!

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Dishwasher

Did you snap a pic of the DW? What a shame that you couldn't
excise it from the cabinetry. Was the intercom an original
installation, with an AM radio?

 

[retromom]

Yes, you can collect tvs and washers!

Greg:

That is some find! I can't believe that remote control was available back in the 50's. Tom (hubby) was saying that he remembers that the remotes would *ding* when you pressed them.
I really miss those stylish cabinets and round screens.

Awesome! Now you've started us all on a whole new addiction!

Congrats!

 

[rickr]

roundie with a square transplant

I remember them so well. They had a nice vivid color picture. I have a 1965 Magnavox,with a 1988 picture tube and chassis.I bought it used when I was in high school,and used it until 1988.No tv repair place would touch it,after the original chassis died a final death in 1988. I bought a brand new Magnavox console,and dismantled it and installed the chassis into my old all (real) wood Magnavox cabinet. I am still using it with the 1965 cabinet today.

What you have found is a real original TOL treasure Greg. I am glad you rescued it from a certain death.I hope you can restore it one day. They really do have a great picture when they are working correctly.

 

[tlee618]

Greg that is one beautiful set!! Back in the 50's RCA always seem to have the most beautiful cabinets. I sure hope that I get to see Rosie's house while I am there. Terry

 

[rickr]

Before the

It looked like this. I wish I had rebuilt the tv with the "roundie" today. I would have never guessed that someday people would be rebuilding these classic tv's. The plus side is that I still have mine in a real wood cabinet,that matches my decor. I will do without a tv before resorting to a plastic cabinet.
This ad is kewl as it has the 1965 prices.

 

[Kevinpreston3]

This is very close to the Admiral we have

Gotta love EBAY for research purposes alone. This is very close to our TV, but a slightly different cabinet.

You have to squint to see it, but that is the remote I am talking about. Tuning forks inside! (and you think I am kidding...)!

Vendio.com

 

[dalangdon]

I saw a Sears Silvertone "Suburban" in a vintage store a while back. It was such a beauty, and worked like a dream. If I had the space, I would have snapped it up in a second!

 

[veg-o-matic]

For those who don't check out audiokarma.org (and shame on you if you don't!), here's a link to a five-minute commercial for the set. Greg, it looks like the legs on your set have been trimmed. Still, all of us TV guys are tripping over our tongues drooling.
Pay attention to the gal in the commercial. She's obviously supposed to be watching the set but it looks like she's just staring off into space...

veg

 

[dalangdon]

If I were watching what she were watching, I think I'd be staring into space also. Besides, with what looks like a bong on the floor next to the TV, she's probably going to need to visit the food-o-rama in a second ;-)

 

[jasonl]

I was watching a 1978 Red Sox vs. Yankees game on ESPN Classic last Sunday. I bet it would've been so much fun to watch on a vintage TV console for the late 60s or 70s.

Vintage Fenway on a vintage Zenith.

 

[drmitch]

My, but you guys have some great TVs! And if theres nothing on worth watching you still have something nice to look at!

 

[toggleswitch]

Now This is a BONG

Nargile-- the proper English word for *BONG*

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/TravelDetails/Tobacco/Nargile/NargileMain.html

 

[toggleswitch]

This to the right (I think) is some kind of water,tea or oil dispenser.

The Turkish/Arabic/Greek/ Aremenian/Middle Eastern coffee pot to the left is an "Ibrik" or "Ibriki".

Normally brass or copper.

http://www.readysecure.com/users/coffeezonecomau/details2.asp?ProductID=1017

 

[drmitch]

Whats in your pipe? LOL

 

[toggleswitch]

More tobacco water pipes

SMOKIN'!

http://www.tulumba.com/icy_srch.asp?s=nargile

 

[toggleswitch]

only one way to tell.

LOL taste test!

 

[jetcone]

ohhh

Now that is Television! And it tells you its COLOR!

Beautiful Rescue Greg!!

We were watching slides tonight when you called of my folks trip across Asia.

I'll ring you up tomorrow.

jon