Futuristic Find! 1959 General Electric Forecaster!

[Forward Look]

After years and years of looking I finally found one of my "dream sets" the highly elusive General Electric "Forecaster"!

This set was designed to compete with Philco's Predicta series as a look ahead into the future,the 1960's. In my opinion this set is every bit as cool as a predicta but much,much harder to find. It's also very well made,the cabinet is solid wood with walnut veneer,it has sturdy tubular metal legs with Danish Modern oval shaped "ski" feet and the white curved screen shield is painted steel,not plastic. It was extremely heavy,probably around 50-60lbs!

According to the original ads I've seen online this set has a console power transformer chassis.I've also noticed that the ad shows a prototype version without the wood feet to prevent it from scratching your tabletop.

I am very glad I found one locally as it would never have survived shipping,the back cover is metal & fiberboard and the white plastic inset around the picture tube frame is extremely delicate. It's made out of that same ivory colored plastic GE used on their table radios during that time.

I have not attempted to power it up,but the owner said it was watched into the 80's when it began taking longer and longer to warm up,he claimed to have tried it a couple months ago before offering it for sale and it didn't turn on anymore.


Does anyone else here own one of these sets? the original owner worked in television back in the 50's and 60's and said it was expensive when new.

[Kevin Kuehn]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like a very interesting set you have there. Hopefully you can post some pictures.

Would love to see a picture. I think some of those sets used a unique push button, motor driven tuner that had a remote option.

They're listed in Sams by the chassis number, which should be marked on the chassis somewhere. Probably a U or M series.

[Phil Nelson]

The Forecaster has an asymmetrical, "stepped" cabinet. My wife would go crazy for that. This page shows a Forecaster ad:

http://rogerwilkerson.tumblr.com/pos...ter-television

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

[Forward Look]

Hi everyone,I will take some photos later when I'm at home.I have a few I took the day I brought it home with a cameraphone but they didn't come out good.
Before I found mine I was never able to find any "real" photos online either,just that ad which doesn't do it justice.when seen in real life the design is startlingly dynamic,the metal screen shield curves drastically out at the top and at the bottom lending it a very space age look when seen at an angle. It's also has a smoked glass lens over picture tube and the small knobs are metal and hour glass shaped!

I sat and looked at the thing for an hour when I brought it home because it was so beautiful! I couldn't believe I finally found one.

"Egrand",can you post a picture of the push button tuner? my tv has a standard rotary tuner as pictured in the advertisement,I don't know if this model came with a remote option or not. I have heard these were only offered for the one year 1959,and they didn't sell well.

Now I need to find a Dualette!

[Forward Look]

I forgot to add that is also has RCA jacks on the back for radio and phono input.

[decojoe67]

That set is COOL! I always thought the Sylvania "Dualette" was the only other "space-age" looking TV besides the classic "Predicta's", but this GE is one more to add to the group! Love to have one. Lucky you!

[Forward Look]

Originally Posted by decojoe67

That set is COOL! I always thought the Sylvania "Dualette" was the only other "space-age" looking TV besides the classic "Predicta's", but this GE is one more to add to the group! Love to have one. Lucky you!

I love the predictas too and have four of them so far.This GE is definetly one of the most space age sets In many ways its cooler than the tabletop predictas.

The Dualette is a stunning set,I would love to find the two tone turquoise model,of course I'd "settle" for coral. I've seen them come up ocassionally on eBay,but never locally and I've had too many things damaged by careless packing to risk it.

I also like this 1960 Sylvania silhouette with Halo-Light
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=4471,7504600

[Kamakiri]

Originally Posted by Forward Look

I also like this 1960 Sylvania silhouette with Halo-Light
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=4471,7504600

I just got done restoring that exact set for a guy in MD. There's one local to me at an antique shop, they're asking $100.

BTW, I just sold my '58 Savoy this past July. It was my dream car for a long time

[Forward Look]

Originally Posted by Kamakiri

I just got done restoring that exact set for a guy in MD. There's one local to me at an antique shop, they're asking $100.

BTW, I just sold my '58 Savoy this past July. It was my dream car for a long time

You've got great taste in cars! I love the '58's,best year for Plymouth. The 57's are beautiful but they did a great job of refining them in 58 by adding the matching lower valance,winged hood ornament,sharkfin fender ornaments,dual lights,and adding fury style trim that sweeps up the fin on the Belvederes.

Was your Savoy a 2 door hardtop coupe,2 door sedan,4 door sport sedan,etc? They are difficult cars to find ,especially the 58's. Did you have any other Forward Looks?

I sure wish that Sylvania Halo-Light was near me,I'd definitely buy it for $100.I love that set and haven't been able to find one nearby. How much did the guy in MD have to pay to ship it to you? Or did he just send the chassis? Isn't that model one of the last Halo-Lights made?

[ggregg]

No, it's actually a 1958 or so. This one is a 1960. They made them one more year after that AFAIK.

[Kamakiri]

Originally Posted by Forward Look

You've got great taste in cars! I love the '58's,best year for Plymouth. The 57's are beautiful but they did a great job of refining them in 58 by adding the matching lower valance,winged hood ornament,sharkfin fender ornaments,dual lights,and adding fury style trim that sweeps up the fin on the Belvederes.

Was your Savoy a 2 door hardtop coupe,2 door sedan,4 door sport sedan,etc? They are difficult cars to find ,especially the 58's. Did you have any other Forward Looks?

I sure wish that Sylvania Halo-Light was near me,I'd definitely buy it for $100.I love that set and haven't been able to find one nearby. How much did the guy in MD have to pay to ship it to you? Or did he just send the chassis? Isn't that model one of the last Halo-Lights made?

It was a Club Coupe (sedan). Amazingly enough, there was almost no rust on the fender eyebrows, and it even came with a set of aluminum Sportone inserts. Good friend of mine in NJ has I think 18 of em, I picked up a complete running 318 Poly from him last spring for it in trade for the inserts. Wasn't a complete set of the inserts, I think I was missing one fender piece.

The shipping is done by a friend of mine in MD, who has family this way and just happens to come to my house and drop off and pick up sets of his own that I fix for him . Not sure where you're located, but I could always take a good look at it, and pick it up for you if you want it. The one I just did was a real headache, but the end result was pretty darn good. Not perfect, but pretty darn good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bUxHpMFG5w

Now that I see the ad, I don't think it was available on the Forecaster. Here's a link to an ad showing it: http://books.google.com/books?id=PT8...c%20tv&f=false

It was only around for a couple of years.

[Forward Look]

Originally Posted by egrand

Now that I see the ad, I don't think it was available on the Forecaster. Here's a link to an ad showing it: http://books.google.com/books?id=PT8...c%20tv&f=false

It was only around for a couple of years.

Thanks for the link,hadn't seen that push button tuner before. Pretty neat.

[Ray Sieracki]

So, how is the restoration going on the GE Forecaster. Hope to see some pictures soon. Good luck