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dedtired

Very old tv in cabinet

dedtired
2 years ago

I have to get rid of this old tv set from the 1950s. Its at my mother’s house. Is rhere any market for these things or should I just have it hauled away by a junker?


Comments (45)

  • amykath
    2 years ago

    It couldn't hurt to put it on Craigslist for free. You never know...one man' trash is another's treasure... as they say.

  • maddielee
    2 years ago

    The first question will be, Does it work?


    Facebook marketplace would be a good place to try. Or a Face Book Buy Nothing group.

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  • 3katz4me
    2 years ago

    I'd say call the junk man.

  • eld6161
    2 years ago

    I’m wondering…..I have heard about prop companies that store these vintage things for movies.

    I’m off to google.

  • Sueb20
    2 years ago

    Agree with offering it for free. You never know what someone might use it for!

    b5033615ed834f094658e7cd418114d8.jpg (3264×2448) (pinimg.com)

  • eld6161
    2 years ago

    Ded, google Movie companies that buy vintage furniture. A few popped up in your area.

    dedtired thanked eld6161
  • jrb451
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I’ve seen these retrofitted into an aquarium.

    dedtired thanked jrb451
  • localeater
    2 years ago

    The vacuum tubes in the tv have value to collectors and hobbyists. Post on craigslist.

  • palimpsest
    2 years ago

    This is a circa 1970s set so it will not be as collectable as an earlier one, I would probably advertise it as free for pickup or sell it on eBay starting at 1.00 pick up only or buyer arranges shipping, and see what happens. I have started a number of things at 1.00 just to attract people.

    dedtired thanked palimpsest
  • dedtired thanked nekotish
  • Tina Marie
    2 years ago

    I agree with offering for free too. I wouldn't want to pay someone to haul it off.

    dedtired thanked Tina Marie
  • SEA SEA
    2 years ago

    I have a friend who works on prop and set design crews for TV shows. They get stuff from 2nd hand dealers and store them on site for future need and use. Other times, they rent props from prop supply compaines (such a thing exists, but I don't know how you connect with a company like this to sell your item). My friend and his crew have to spend days tracking down and accumulating such items. There is a chain of aquiring items that they follow, I think, to keep the middle man in the loop--all union staff.

    dedtired thanked SEA SEA
  • Jilly
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    At your link, nekotish — “Chateau Henri” …



    That’s so dang cute!

    dedtired thanked Jilly
  • User
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I've been able to give away the weirdest stuff on facebook's "Buy Nothing" group. Things you never thought people would take. I could see somebody gutting that and turning it into something cool, or using it as a prop like SEA suggested.

    I wouldn't recommend Craigslist. It turned sketchy and unreliable years ago. If you use facebook, search for the Buy Nothing group. You have to look for the one that's closest to you. It feels a little safer than craigslist in the sense that it's your neighborhood area only and you can see their profile pic. If possible, you can even coordinate a "porch pickup" if you don't want to schedule a meetup. Or try FB marketplace if your Buy Nothing group is a flop.

    dedtired thanked User
  • mtnrdredux_gw
    2 years ago

    I used a prop supply company in NYC when I wanted to rent mismatched vintage flow blue china for my wedding reception. But that'd be a hike.


    It's funny you post your TV, just the other day DH and I were talking about those and how suboptimal they were being so low to the floor; now every one puts them over the fpl, too high.


    Remember doing this?


    dedtired thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • Lars
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Set companies here in Los Angeles collect furniture like that, but they probably have all they need or can store. There are a lot of companies that rent old furniture to set designers. In fact, I have rented accessories (and costumes) to set designers myself.

    dedtired thanked Lars
  • PRO
    MDLN
    2 years ago



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  • PRO
    MDLN
    2 years ago



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  • User
    2 years ago

    If you use Nextdoor, that is another great option to get rid of stuff for free.


    I agree Craig's List has turned scary. I don't ever recommend that site anymore. However if you search Facebook for a buy nothing group near you that is a great way to get rid of it. I agree with SeattleMCM that you may be surprised the "junk" that people will take for free and be pretty happy about it.


    Between Nextdoor and Facebook buy nothing, I've given away stuff that I thought for sure was almost pure garbage. :) It feels good to see stuff get used by someone else when I don't want it anymore.

    dedtired thanked User
  • dedtired
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks. I know some creative person somewhere would have a good idea about what to do with it. i honestly don’t care about getting money for it, I just hate when things end up in a landfill when someone might use it. All good ideas and I will follow up on them.

  • petalique
    2 years ago

    Patriceny, how is CL scary? It seems farely lean these days. I want to sell/rehome a bunch of stuff, but dont nelong to FB or next door.


    (Why is it so difficult to type into Houzz with an iPad?)


    dedtired thanked petalique
  • User
    2 years ago

    how is CL scary?

    This article pretty much sums up why (scroll down to "it's probably safer"). Plus, if you use Buy Nothing (rather than FB Marketplace), there are mods. If somebody was scammed, they could be reported and kicked out of the group. These are literally your neighbors, so it just feels like more visibility and accountability.

    I'd suggest Buy Nothing group first and if you didn't get takers, then maybe try FB Marketplace.

    dedtired thanked User
  • User
    2 years ago

    Thanks SeattleMCM for taking that one for me. :)


    I agree with you - I think since you can't as easily hide one's true identity on Facebook or Nextdoor that most of the scammers have migrated to Craig's List. Not saying FB or Nextdoor are totally safe, but they feel better to me than CL...which is a wild west of unmoderated ick around me. LOL.

  • User
    2 years ago

    One other thing: if I'm offering up something kind of weird or broken, I offer a creative idea of what can be done with it. I feel like it helps.

    Like, I tried to give away foam and batting scraps a while back, and nobody wanted them. I offered them up again right before Halloween and suggested they could be used for a costume. They were snatched up so quick!

  • Bunny
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Mtn, I remember watching tv that way as a kid and my parents making me move back or else I'd destroy my eyesight.

    Our first tv, circa 1950, was a Hoffman Easy Vision. The screen tint was green because it was supposed to be easier on your eyes. I mean, who wanted the whole family's eyesight destroyed? Ours was similar to this, only the wood was blond to match the rest of the furniture.



    Oooh, found a piece of our old Hoffman:



  • LucyStar1
    2 years ago

    It's junk. People put them out at the street and think they are going to magically disappear. Pay someone to take it away.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    2 years ago

    Who is Lucy? Your grouch-o-meter is in the red zone today.

    dedtired thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • LucyStar1
    2 years ago

    LOL. I've been around for awhile.


    I had to look at my neighbor's toilet at the curb for months!

  • palimpsest
    2 years ago

    Mtn, apparently the recommended viewing angle for television used to be slightly down or somewhere around, slightly below seated eye level. We weren't allowed to sit as close to the television as those two girls, There was a spot on the floor that we were not allowed to sit in front of when watching TV because they were cathode ray tubes, and because of eye strain. We were also not allowed to watch TV with the lights out. Lots of rules about watching TV when I was growing up, especially because my dad never watched TV except news when we were little. I did get some satisfaction when he was in his late 80s and 90s and had the TV on all the time in telling him maybe he should turn it off and do something else.

  • arkansas girl
    2 years ago

    I think the little dog and cat houses are adorable. I can see them actually loving to be inside one of those. They like hidden/safe places to get into.

    dedtired thanked arkansas girl
  • mtnrdredux_gw
    2 years ago

    Ok, Lucy, that would sure make me grouchy! I think we have rules here about what you can leave out and for how long.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    2 years ago

    LOL Pal, I was so smug when I realized that we never watched TV at all in our family.


    It actually had to sink in how stupid that was.


    We were all "watching TV" only it was worse, because we all watched something different, in different rooms.


    Now I actually encourage group watching because at least we are together and can share impressions.

  • Bunny
    2 years ago

    I recently needed to get rid of an inkjet printer that was beyond repair. I knew I couldn't toss it in the garbage (electronics) and wasn't going to leave it on the curb. I responsibly drove it to the proper recycle place clear across town and had to pay a $10 fee. For what reason, I have no idea, but I wanted that printer out of my hair.

  • User
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    palimpsest, mtnrdredux_gw: we were totally one of those "tv in every room" type of houses! in the 80s, my dad actually stole cable by splitting our line and feeding it into my sister's bedroom. He was an early adopter at figuring out you could control the cable through the VCR, by building an "auxiliary" switch with parts from Radio Shack. Once he realized he didn't need the cable box, it went to my sister's room. He even buried the cables in the wall! My dad was an engineer so he was good at all of that stuff. It was really out of character for him to do something even mildly illegal though.

    My own TV as a kid was a vintage black and white from the 70s, originally used as the monitor for my dad's first PC. I kept it until I was about 28! You'd be surprised at how quickly you get used to not watching things in color.

  • Jilly
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Ahhh … Saturday mornings, my little TV in my room, cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Pink Panther, etc), sugar bomb cereal, trying not to wake up Dad. Good times! :)

    ETA: Just remembered our old Curtis Mathes 1970’s era TV cabinet in the living room … IT HAD A STEREO, TOO. You heard me right! Fancy!

  • Bunny
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Growing up we had one tv and it was controlled by my parents, i.e., my mother. No Saturday morning cartoons for me. I was supposed to be up and dressed and outside in the fresh air. I felt very cheated and deprived at the time, but I think Mom did me a favor.

    Also, on Sunday nights Ed Sullivan was on at the same time as Steve Allen. My parents watched Steve Allen, so when Elvis was on Ed Sullivan I went next door to my grandparents who happily let me watch whatever I liked.

  • User
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Sing it to me Jinx. 😆 Except we only had 1 tv at my house, so I distinctly remember laying on the floor in my jammies eating Captn Crunch and watching Scooby Doo or The Schmoo, with the volume turned super low so the parents wouldn't complain.


    Height of good parenting in the 70s. 😆

  • Jilly
    2 years ago

    Patrice 😂

  • dedtired
    Original Author
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I spent many a Saturday morning and afternoons sprawled on the floor in front of our old tv., within inches of the screen. My kids did, too too, although they were generally outside after school.

    The tv i pictured above was from my great aunt’s house. She died in 1979, so it could have been from the 70s. I have no idea why my mother hauled it home. No one has tried turning it on for decades and of course it couldnt handle high definition broadcasts.

  • texanjana
    2 years ago

    That tv brings back memories! My grandparents’ Zenith was the best though-it had a built-in record player.

  • palimpsest
    2 years ago

    Seattle, we had very early cable in my area or we would have had no television at all in most of my town. We lived at a relatively high spot in town and my neighbor up the street (who built his own TVs from scratch (early color) had a huge aerial tower with an additional pole on it with an antennae on top of that and I remember it falling off the tower and swinging down into the yard and burying one of the ends in my neighbor's leg (the homeowner). All when there were little kids standing around watching it happen. (We also played with Jarts and bow and arrow so we lived dangerously). Anyway we mostly had early cable, but it was still only the 3 networks and then public TV.


    When cell phones came in I had to get a carrier that had service where I grew up (one of the last dead spots in the country it seems like) and there are still significant dead spots for cell service. (And the satellite radio would go out for a second at one spot in our driveway and at one spot downtown at least until 2018, which is the last time I was there. And this is in PA, not anything too remote.

  • terezosa / terriks
    2 years ago

    Growing up, we had a color TV (probably about 20") in the family room, and a small black and white TV in the kitchen. Two memories I have: my father made us go to bed halfway through Batman! It was always in two parts - the first half hour was the last half of the previous week's episode, then the second half hour started a new episode. So I only ever saw the end of an episode.

    My memory of the B&W TV in the kitchen was watching the terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics.


  • l pinkmountain
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Regarding the dog bed option, that would be fun. Josie would sleep BESIDE it . . . as per her usual reaction to any sleeping or sitting arrangements we try to make for her . . .



    Edited to add that Moe was her best friend until she ripped his arm off . . .

    dedtired thanked l pinkmountain
  • petalique
    2 years ago

    Thanks SeattleMCM and patriceNY.

    I’m in a rural area, use CL. Freecycle now gone. I live in an odd rural ’hood’ and so Next Door is out.


    FB market was interesting. I’ve had good luck in the past w CL. I always ask for phone numbers.




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