I can now add to my list. I bought an old hi-fi console yesterday and when I went to pick it up last night, I saw that the guy had 2 old t.v.s in the garage. I asked about them, and he gave them to me!! I now have 2 WORKING CTC-5's, as well as the sets listed above.

You lucky dog !! <grin>-Sandy G.

Wow! Now, thats a great find! Have you seen what they've been going for lately?

Man! TWO CTC5's! And they both work? And he gave them to you? That's almost unheard of! That's one hell of a score!

Pictures! Let us see some pictures! :yes:

I'll post sime pictures when I get a digital camera, I haven't bought one yet. These two sets had been daily watchers until about 2 years ago. I was beginning to think that there weren't any good sets in this area, and then the CTC-5's popped up. That really got my blood flowing and now I'm very actively looking for more. I'm hoping to someday find a Dumont Royal Soveriegn 30" b/w console, in the meantime, there's no telling what goodies will turn up. People in this area for the most part, didn't throw large purchases they'd made like tv sets, mostly those sets ended up in basements and sheds. The really cool thing is that I'm the first one in this town that has ever shown interest in them.

What make are the two TVs you mentioned? I for one will be waiting to see pictures of them.

I also live in a small town (in a small two-story apartment building on the main street) where old TVs don't show up on the curbs very often. I've lived here six years and have seen a couple sets (a late-'70s RCA color console and a 1980s-vintage RCA portable several years ago, not to mention two stereo consoles just up the street from me last summer), but frankly, old sets aren't as plentiful here as they were (and may still be) in my hometown. There are quite a few folks here who have lived in town some 50 years or more and grew up here; it wouldn't surprise me if they, too, hold on to their old TVs rather than throwing them out, even if the sets work poorly or not at all. My grandmother was something like that; she had a late-1940s Silvertone radio/phono combo she kept until some time in the very early '70s, and a 1950 General Electric 16" b&w console TV she had until she got a color set in 1971.

Good sets are everywhere around you, in the cellars, on the attics, in the barns and so on. We and you don't know where they are until we / you find them. Here in the Braunschweig aerea, appr. 400,000 people live. In the last year I got a
- Telefunken PALcolor 708 from 1967 (attic),
- Telefunken Palcromat from 1967 (attic),
- a Saba color from 1967 (attic),
- a Philips TD1410U from 1952 (attic),
- a Telefunken PALcolor 740 from 1969 (cellar).
- a second Telefunken PALcolor 708 from 1967 I got from a retired post serviceman near Aachen, who telephoned me.
Two of these sets were from people which find them while cleaning the house. Four of these sets were offered to me after reports about my tv collection in the local newspaper.
I think, even rare vintage sets are everywhere, more than we might expect.

I would agree...there are many old homes with an old tv hidden away somewhere. It is now just a game of finding them before the dumpster does. I think what too often happens is that the people charged with cleaning out old houses feel that these old sets are worthless so they don't even make an effort. I suggest that we all continue to keep up the search because you never know where a tv will show up...or what connection will bring it to you.

I agree with bryan all the way. This is a reason why we dont even see old 1960's-early 70's tube type color (or b/w) tvs on ebay. Owners think they are so useless that they are not even worth the effort to put on ebay. Estate sales are my ONLY hope to find these sets. I even miss many old sets at estate sales because the family threw out the old TV's before the sale. I run into this ALL THE TIME! Even when you do find an old set, the people are surprized and you always get the "what are you going to do with it" question. or you get "Im glad we saved it for the sale, we didnt think it was going to sell".

As far as ebay goes, I think the last time I ever saw a nice 23" tube type zenith color table set was 4 or 5 years ago. I have not seen anything since! Ebay almost seems like lost hope for finding 60's table sets, but the roundies still show up from time to time because they are so different, people think they are worth something (sometimes!)
my advice: Always check your local estate sales when ever possible!

With Estate sales, it helps if the vendors are nice people who deal fair...there are several in this area who know we like TV's and electronic equipment and they won't throw it out and will advise us when there is a sale which has it.
If you go to garage sales you might just inquire if they have old TV's even if you don't see any out for sale.

Yeah, ALWAYS ask!
 

Slightly off topic for this forum, but right on regarding "don't assume anything":

I went to an auction a few years ago when a production company was closing up shop. Conspicuously absent from the list of lots was an Ampex 350 studio console tape deck sitting forlornly over in the corner, covered with dust. When I asked about it, I was told "Oh, that doesn't work any more." At my request, they added it to the auction and, silly me, I was the only one interested at the opening bid of five dollars :)

From then on, I ALWAYS ask!

--Dave

Not a one. :thmbsp:

Not a one?! NOT A ONE?!!! Ya gotta get a one. Then you gotta get ANOTHER, and ANOTHER, and another and another and a-n-o-t-h-e-r... Then ya gotta sell your dining room furniture to make room for more. THEN ya got something going! :yes:

--Dave

Hmmm... I wonder how many of us have actually done something like this??? :D

It wouldn't be the first time I've used a (covered) console TV as a table. :)