04-23-2011, 10:25 PM
Hello to all,
I have a Philco Model 200X and after reading on this site and in my copy of Ron's excellent book, that these sets are uncommon? Is there any idea as to how many of these sets were built?
I bought this set years ago at an estate sale in my hometown for $35. I learned from my parents that the estate belonged to the man who was the local Philco radio dealer. it was located in his garage workshop and the chassis was coated with decades of sawdust and pine resin. I spent hours cleaning the chassis but fortunately it was an effective preservative! Being young and a novice at that time I plugged it in and turned it on and luckily it played fine!!! At the time I refinished the cabinet and replaced all the grill cloth that was rotted away, with a non-correct cloth.
I never gave the set much thought until I read in Ron's book that this was a High end Philco set that was high fidelity!!! Being much older now and hopefully a little wiser, I'm planning on restoring this set in the near future.
My guess is that this set was in the dealers showroom originally, and being that this was a small Wisconsin town in the middle of the depression, along with it being an expensive set, it never sold. The dealer probably ended up keeping it for himself and eventually it ended up in his workshop. It's a good story anyway!!!!
Was just curious as to the number of this model being made and also wanted to share. Thanks!
Kevin
I have a Philco Model 200X and after reading on this site and in my copy of Ron's excellent book, that these sets are uncommon? Is there any idea as to how many of these sets were built?
I bought this set years ago at an estate sale in my hometown for $35. I learned from my parents that the estate belonged to the man who was the local Philco radio dealer. it was located in his garage workshop and the chassis was coated with decades of sawdust and pine resin. I spent hours cleaning the chassis but fortunately it was an effective preservative! Being young and a novice at that time I plugged it in and turned it on and luckily it played fine!!! At the time I refinished the cabinet and replaced all the grill cloth that was rotted away, with a non-correct cloth.
I never gave the set much thought until I read in Ron's book that this was a High end Philco set that was high fidelity!!! Being much older now and hopefully a little wiser, I'm planning on restoring this set in the near future.
My guess is that this set was in the dealers showroom originally, and being that this was a small Wisconsin town in the middle of the depression, along with it being an expensive set, it never sold. The dealer probably ended up keeping it for himself and eventually it ended up in his workshop. It's a good story anyway!!!!
Was just curious as to the number of this model being made and also wanted to share. Thanks!
Kevin
